Revel In Your Imperfections
by robyn redhead
Summary: Revel works with Rivendell's most renowned physician, Lady Lorienna. When Thorin Oakenshield and Company seek refuge and treatment for injuries in the Elven Kingdom, Revel jumps at the chance to prove herself as a physician, not to mention meet one of her childhood heroes-the Dwarf King! But things don't go quite as Revel had hoped...Eventual Fili/OC. Movieverse.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:  
Hello all! This is a bit of a set-up chapter for my fic, which will eventually be a Fili/OC fic, even if it seems at first to be a bit Thorin/OC-ish. Anyway, this stars my OC, Revel Willow, an orphaned human girl who has been brought up by the elves in Rivendell. She currently resides with the great elf physician, Lady Lorienna, along with several other young girls who wish to pursue an apprenticeship in medicine. When Thorin Oakenshield and Company become injured and ill on their quest to the Lonely Mountain, they seek rest, refuge and treatment from Rivendell. And that is where the story starts! Hope you enjoy the first chapter; reviews are greatly enjoyed! **

"Careful Revel!" snapped Lady Lorienna, as I nearly dropped the bag of elvish medicines for the third time.

"I'm sorry!" I said, hoisting the bulging bag further up my shoulder and scampering down the path after her. "I'm just a bit nervous, you see, and-

"Why ever would you be nervous?" the elderly physician turned round and stared at me with her piercing elf eyes.

"Well, we're going to treat a king, aren't we? A dwarf king? And I mean, how should I address him? 'My Lord'? Or is that wrong? I don't-

Lady Lorienna held up a hand to stop my rambling mid-flow.

"Revel," she said. "You do not need to know _how_ to address Thorin Oakenshield, as you are not to address him all at! Why on earth should the great dwarf king be concerned with _you_?"

"Oh right, yes, of course!" I said, with a wave of my hand that dismissed any idea I'd had that Thorin Oakenshield would wish to speak to _me_.

"You are not to speak to him unless I say otherwise, is that clear?"

I nodded. Lady Lorienna was always clear.

I had known of the elderly elf my whole life, though it had only been recently that we had gotten to know each other personally. For as long as I could remember, Lady Lorienna had been renowned as the best physician in Rivendell, and she was famous for her skills and her medicines. She was even personal physician to the great Master Elrond. But while Lady Lorienna had always been known of to me, I had only met the physician a few months ago, when she opened up her famous workshop for young, skilled, female elves to work with her as apprentices.

Though I was neither skilled, nor an elf, old Cenielora at the orphanage thought it would be a good opportunity for me to progress in the world. I had lived at the orphanage for most of my life; my parents had both died when a vicious influenza had swept through our village of Borgon. My father had died first, and then my mother had lived just long enough after him to take me over the border to the elvish village of Rivendell, where I had been brought up and protected by the elves ever since. I myself was a mere human; possessing no elven skill or power, and making me a constant source for taunts from my peers.

But, since coming to live and work at the physician's with a small group of other young women, I had obviously shown some sort of skill, for Lady Lorienna had chosen me to accompany her to visit some injured dwarves who had sought rest and treatment from Rivendell. Amongst the group of dwarves, and the reason for my agitation and clumsiness with the bag, was Thorin Oakenshield; the dwarf king. I had grown up with stories of the world outside the idyllic Rivendell, and none more exciting or thrilling than the tale of Thorin Oakenshield and his battle with Azog, the pale orc. Not even in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that I would be treating the same dwarf who had bravely battled with a beast and claimed justice for his father. No wonder I was nervous!

"Revel! Hurry up!"

Hugging the heavy bag to myself in nervous anticipation, I hurried along to catch up with Lady Lorienna.

"Right," she said as we reached the small cluster of houses that Master Elrond had given to the dwarves to stay in. "You are to wait here while I go and have a word with Gandalf-

"Gandalf is here?" I interrupted excitedly. "Gandalf the Grey? The wizard?"

"_Yes_," said Lady Lorienna, sounding exasperated. "And that is _not _a reason to lose our heads, Revel," she added sternly. "You mustn't let excitement get in the way of doing your job. Excitement is one thing that has _no place_ in the world of medicine, you understand."

I nodded, attempting to appear suddenly like the least excited person Lady Lorienna had ever seen.

"Now," she continued. "As I was saying. You will wait right here while I go and speak with Gandalf, and I shall come back and collect you before going in to Thorin Oakenshield. You are not to move from this spot, do I make myself clear?"

"Yes," I said, nodding. Once again, Lady Lorienna was quite clear.

She swept away, long blue cloak rippling behind her. Though old, the physician was very elegant, with her tall stature and fine clothes. I wished I could be more like her, but my human nature had made me smaller than my elvish peers, and my blouse and woollen skirt were a long way from Lady Lorienna's velvets and silks.

I felt a jittery sense of excitement again. Gandalf was here! Gandalf the Grey; the great wizard. Maybe I could get to speak to him myself at some point? Ask him about all his great adventures? Perhaps he could perform some magic for me or-

In my excitement, a small glass phial had slipped from the bulging bag of medicines, and rolled away through a door that stood slightly ajar nearby. Forgetting Lady Lorienna's words entirely in my haste to retrieve the phial, I darted after it, throwing open the door and clattering inside.

The room was brightly lit; sunlight pouring in through the windows. Though it was a warm day outside, a roaring fire stood in the grate; enveloping the whole room in a blaze of heat. I dropped to the floor and began looking around underneath cupboards from the glass phial. I did not notice the presence of anyone else in the room until-

"Ugh,"

A groan came from over on the other side of the room, where a bed lay that I had previously thought to be merely unmade. But now it was apparent that the bundle of blankets on it had, in fact, been living.

"Ugh," came the moan again. "Coming in without invitation...where were you when we really needed you, eh? You elves are all the same..."

"I'm not an elf," I piped up immediately, not thinking. Curse my runaway mouth! I sprung up from where I had been crouched on the floor, and turned round to see who I had intruded upon. My heart stopped dead when I laid eyes on the figure in the bed. It was none other than Thorin Oakenshield.

Of course I could recognise him from the illustrations of his famous battle stories. Though the years had added age to his profile, the dark hair and sturdy nose were clearly recognisable.

"Oh gosh!" I cried. "Mister Oakenshield, I mean My Lord, errm, Your Highness, I'm so sorry, I don't-

What was I even saying? All the while I was blathering away, Thorin Oakenshield was staring at me with a look of mingled surprise, and disgust. I grew hot under his scrutinising gaze.

"_Revel_!" came an icy cry from the doorway, stopping my stuttering words immediately. "What on _earth_ do you mean by blundering in here and disturbing Mr Oakenshield in this way?"

I turned. Lady Lorienna looked livid.

"I'm s-sorry," I said, turning my stuttering tongue on the physician instead. "I just-I didn't-I'm sorry I..."

"Stop wittering," she snapped. "Mr Oakenshield," she turned to the dwarf king. "Please accept my most sincere apologies for disturbing you in this way. It's my apprentice, you see, she can be a little...excitable, and-

"I haven't got time for silly, excitable girls!" It was Lady Lorienna's turn to be interrupted. "If it were up to me, we wouldn't have stopped here at all, but a lot of my men were injured, and Gandalf thought it were for the best."

"And Gandalf was right!" said Lady Lorienna, not nearly so grovelling to the dwarf king now. I knew Lady Lorienna _hated_ to be interrupted. "A lot of your men have sustained some very nasty injuries, not to mention yourself! Now, let's take a look..."

She peeled back Thorin Oakenshield's sleeve, where a blood soaked bandage covered his arm., I could not help but feel a weird sort of excitement inside me as I looked at the arm. What sort of thrilling tale could be told by that injury? What terrible enemies did it behold?

"Orc arrows I presume?" Lady Lorienna said, snapping her fingers at me to bring the bag of medicines. I hurried over.

Thorin Oakenshield nodded.

"_Orc_ arrows?" I cried, forgetting myself once more.

Lady Lorienna turned to glare at me. Thorin Oakenshield rolled his eyes exasperatedly.

I murmured an apology, and Lady Lorienna turned back to her patient.

"I'll just attend to the wound with essence of rookwood," she told Thorin Oakenshield. "And then dress it. For some of your company, it might not be so simple..."

I drifted away from the bed as Lady Lorienna was speaking. Laid out on a cabinet nearby was a sword, with a jewel encrusted hilt and fine leather cover. It was a beautiful creation. I looked back at the bed. Thorin seemed to be engrossed with Lady Lorienna. I reached out a hand to touch the wonderful weapon-

"Don't touch that!"

Startled, I jumped, knocking into the cabinet with my bulging sack of medicines. The sword fell with a crash to the floor, where it bounced slightly, thankfully unharmed.

"For goodness sake, Revel!" cried Lady Lorienna. "How many times do I-

"Lady Lorienna," interrupted Thorin. Lady Lorienna's lips went thin. "Can you please do away with this troublesome character you've brought here? I did not come here to be ridiculed."

"Of course," said Lady Lorienna, with forced dignity. She turned to me, glaring once more. "Revel, leave me that essence of rookwood. Take the bag back to the House. I shall deal with you later."

Meekly, I handed Lady Lorienna a phial from the bag, and turned to leave. I tried to throw Thorin Oakenshield an apologetic look that also conveyed how much I admired him and how much of an honour it had been to meet him, etc, but the dwarf was not looking at me. His attentions were turned back to Lady Lorienna, and both elf and dwarf, I noted, looked rather put out.

I swiftly left the room, and was just thinking over what a disaster the morning had been, when I collided, headlong, into somebody. The overfilled bag fell to the floor with a crash, sending bottles and leather pouches flying everywhere.

"Oh!" I cried, flinging myself on the floor in an attempt to salvage the medicines.

"I'm sosorry!" said the voice of my collider. "Would you like some help?"

"No," I said, miserably, looking around at the mess surrounding me.

"Please, let me help." The collider knelt down beside me and began gathering up bottles. I looked at them. It was not somebody I recognised, and taking in his dwarfish stature, I assumed that he must be one of Thorin Oakenshield's company. Considering the morning so far, probably the less time I spent with these dwarves, the better.

"No, please, seriously," I said, taking the bottles from him and shoving them in the bag along with the last of the leather pouches. We stood up.

I had been correct in assuming that this person was a dwarf. For when we stood up, I noted that I was good few inches taller than him, though this made a pleasant change from constantly being looked down on by the elves.

"Well, thank you," I mumbled.

"Not a problem," said the dwarf, giving a rather wild grin. "How is he?"

"How is...who?"

"My uncle. Thorin,"

Uncle? Thorin's nephew? I had just collided with Thorin Oakenshield's nephew? Could this day possibly get any worse?

"Oh, sorry," said the dwarf, looking uncomfortable. "I assumed you were the physician."

Despite the circumstances, I couldn't help but feel slightly proud that someone would think _me_ to be the great Rivendell physician. Part of me very much wanted to puff out my chest importantly and say "Oh yes, that's me," but I decided that that would probably be a very foolish thing to do, so instead said;

"No! Not me. I'm just the, uh, apprentice. Yes, that's right. To Lady Lorienna. The physician."

"Oh, right."

We both stood in silence for a few moments before our subject herself appeared, bustling out of Thorin's room and looking put out. When she saw me still stood there, she sighed loudly and impatiently.

"Revel, will you _please_ take your troublesome self away from these parts? I've had enough trouble already trying to convince Thorin Oakenshield that you weren't some sort of elven _joke_, sent in to set him up, and I really don't want to deal with any more!"

I looked down at the floor. I knew I deserved this scolding, but it didn't make it any easier to take. Particularly with Thorin's nephew of all people stood right there!

"So are you the physician?" asked the dwarf, looking to Lady Lorienna.

"Yes," said Lady Lorienna, curtly. It seemed that Thorin Oakenshield had rather lowered her opinions of dwarves.

"So how's Thorin?" he asked. "And if you're finished with him, could you maybe come and take a look at my brother? He's being stubborn, but I'm sure-

"_Yes_," interrupted Lady Lorienna. "I know you dwarves seem to think that we elves are good for nothing, but I'll have you know that without us, you lot would all most likely be dead, or worse!"

Lady Lorienna was evidently in a bad mood, and the young dwarf looked rather shocked by her angry outburst. He had meant no offense by his question I was sure.

"Give me that blasted bag, Revel," Lady Lorienna snapped. "And get back to the House, before you can cause any more damage."

And so I handed the bag over, and miserably began the walk back through Rivendell, leaving Lady Lorienna with the still stunned dwarf, and pondering over what could possibly be worse than being dead.

x-x-x

"I knew you shouldn't have taken Revel with you, Lady Lorienna," Tahadrial said, as we took supper in the parlour that evening. "You ought to have taken _me_. _I_ wouldn't have brought shame on your name."

Tahadrial shot me a nasty look. Ever since I had met the elf, at the beginning of Lady Lorienna's apprentice programme, we had not gotten on. Furiously competitive, and annoying skilled, Tahadrial was matched perfectly to my average skills and clumsy nature. At every available opportunity, she would attempt to humiliate me, and make my life miserable. But the years of being bullied for my non-elvish ways had toughened me up against such behaviour, and I usually took little notice of Tahadrial's taunts. But tonight it felt different.

"Don't take any notice of her, Revel," my best friend, Anneli Rose, said as she braided my hair later that evening before we retired to bed.

"But she's right though," I moaned. "I _did_ bring shame on Lady Lorienna. I let her down! And I _so_ wanted things to go well. I was so pleased she thought I was good enough to take with her!"

"And she was _right_," soothed Anneli. "First impressions don't always count, remember. You'll get your chance to prove yourself, I know you will."

"Hmph," I grunted. "Not any time soon I won't. I just _know_ Lady Lorienna's going to take Tahadrial with her to visit the dwarves tomorrow. She practically said so this evening!"

"And so what if she does?" said Anneli as she finished my braid, obviously growing slightly tired of this topic, despite her great patience. "Forget about Tahadrial, Revel. And tell me more about Thorin Oakenshield! Is he really as fierce as he looks in those illustrations?"

Keen to indulge my friend in one of her favourite topics of conversation, Thorin Oakenshield, I described in great detail our meeting. Though I may have glossed over some aspects, in particular being called a 'silly excitable girl' by the great dwarf king.


	2. Chapter 2

I was rudely awoke, the next morning, by a vigorous shaking of my shoulders, disrupting me from a deep and peaceful sleep, where I had been dreaming of adventures in far-off, Tahadrial-free lands.

"What's-going-on?" I slurred, sitting blearily up.

At Lady Lorienna's House, all the young elves and myself shared a rather small room at the very top of the house, which was crammed with beds and sleeping bodies and blankets. It was unusual to be awoken in this manner, for normally the sun shining through the window in the roof was enough to wake us all up, and inform us that it was time to start the day. And so, when I felt the shaking of my shoulders, my mind immediately thought that something must be wrong.

When my bleary eyes adjusted to the room, which was still mostly swamped in darkness, I was surprised to see Lady Lorienna stood looming over me.

"What's the matter?" I asked, hurriedly. "What's wrong?" I frantically began springing out of bed and pulling on my shoes.

"Wrong?" the physician said in low voice. "Nothing is _wrong_, Revel. And keep your voice down; you don't need to wake the others."

I slept right by the door, next to Anneli, and Lady Lorienna gestured round at the other, sleeping, elves in the room.

"But..." I paused, boot raised halfway to my foot. "What's going on?"

"Get dressed," Lady Lorienna said. "And _quickly_, Revel. For there is much to do!"

She then swept out of the room, leaving me to confusedly pull on my clothes in the near darkness, and make my way down the rickety staircase and into the kitchen.

"Whatever is going on, Lady Lorienna?" I asked, allowing the physician to thrust a bag of bottles at me.

"What do you _think_ is going on, girl?" she asked. "We're going down to treat the dwarves! They need morning and evening care if they're ever going to recover! _Why _dwarves think it is quite necessary to be so adventurous, I will never know. What they think of as adventures, I think of as asking for a death wish!"

She continued to complain about dwarves as we made our way out of her house, and through Rivendell, where light was beginning to come up, clearing away the morning mist. As we walked through the village, the first signs of life were making an appearance; young children elves were out playing in gardens, market keepers were beginning to set up their stalls, as mother elves looked on, eagerly awaiting their shopping. Many of the elves called out greetings to Lady Lorienna, and she returned them with curt nods or tight smiles. She may have been excellent with medicine, but the physician was not the friendliest person ever. She had told us all once that she avoided making friends, as they only provided distraction from important things, such as work. I had listened intently and nodded, but even at the time I had thought this a strange thing to say. What a lonely existence one would lead without friends. I had had my share of loneliness at the orphanage, and I was just grateful now to have found friendly solace in Anneli.

As we turned down the path that led to where the dwarves were residing, I voiced a concern of mine that I had been thinking over since we left the House.

"Err, Lady Lorienna?" I asked, tentatively.

"Yes?" she snapped.

"Well, why have you asked _me_ to visit the dwarves again? After, you know. Well, after yesterday, I thought-

"After yesterday you thought I wouldn't think you fit to see those dwarves again?"

"Yes," I said in a small voice, looking at the floor.

"You're not so wrong there!"

"So then why bring me this morning? Why not bring Tahadrial or Anneli or one of the others?"

"Well, my dear girl," said Lady Lorienna. "Because _Thorin Oakenshield_ specifically forbade you anywhere near him, or any of his Company, and when _Thorin Oakenshield_ forbids something, I have decided to try my utmost hardest to do it!"

I stared in surprise at the physician, whose eyes had narrowed at the very _thought_ of the dwarf king.

"Goodness," I said, stunned. "I hadn't realised you..." I trailed off.

"Hadn't realised I disliked the dwarf as much as this?" finished Lady Lorienna. I nodded. "No, well, nor did I until I met the fellow! But anyone that talks about us elves in the ungrateful way in which he spoke to me yesterday deserves every ounce of my dislike!"

I couldn't help my smile to myself as we continued down the stone path. While I didn't exactly _like _Lady Lorienna speaking so ill of a famous dwarf king, it _was_ nice to hear the physician angry and annoyed with someone other than myself for a change. And Thorin Oakenshield _had_ been rather rude the previous day.

"Good morning Gandalf!" called Lady Lorienna as we approached the houses.

I stopped dead. Gandalf the Grey, in his wizard's hat and all, was sat just outside one of the houses, watch the sun rise and smoking a long pipe. The pipe was sending large rings of smoke fluttering out and over the valley.

"Good morning, Lady Lorienna," answered the wizard, while I stood gaping.

"How are our visitors this morning?"

"A little grumpy, I'm afraid," said Gandalf. "They are missing some of their home comforts, I believe. Meat, and such like."

"Hmph," said Lady Lorienna. "They're lucky to be alive! They should be grateful for that, and not worrying about trifling things like _meat_."

Lady Lorienna said the word 'meat' as though it were something sinful and possibly dangerous.

We bade goodbye to Mr Gandalf, myself disappointed that Lady Lorienna hadn't considered me important enough to introduce to the wizard, and passed on through to the room that belonged to Thorin Oakenshield.

"Good morning, Mr Oakenshield!" called Lady Lorienna, much louder than she had greeted Gandalf the Grey, pulling open the curtains and spilling the previously dim room with early sunlight.

A groaning lump in the bed indicated the dwarf king.

"You wretched, blasted, little-

"And how are we feeling this morning, Mr Oakenshield?" asked Lady Lorienna, moving over towards the bed.

Slowly, a head emerged from underneath the blankets, revealing a disgruntled looking Thorin.

"I was feeling fine until I was rudely awoken by a-

He stopped. He was looking straight at me, and the sight obviously did not improve his mood.

"What is _she_ doing here? I thought I specifically said that-

"I'm sorry, Mr Oakenshield!" said Lady Lorienna, interrupting loudly. "But all of my other apprentices have very sadly fallen ill. It is a terribly shame, but I'm afraid you will have to put up with Revel for the present moment. I'm sorry." I was quite sure that the physician had never sounded less sorry in her life, and I think that Thorin knew this. He narrowed his eyes at her, but said, in a low voice that bordered on a growl;

"Very well."

"Excellent!" said Lady Lorienna, briskly. She clicked her fingers at me, and I brought over the bag of bottles, extremely glad that the physician had decided to leave the bulging bag that seemed to contain her entire store cupboard at home. She rolled up the sleeve of Thorin Oakenshield's shirt.

"Can you see that crust there?" said Lady Lorienna, taking a bottle from me and pointing out patch on the dwarf's arm. "Where the skin has turned dark? That's a sign of healing, you see, and-

"Do you mind!" cried the dwarf, yanking his arm away. "I am _not_ on exhibition here!"

"Begging your pardon," said Lady Lorienna. "But as Revel is my _student_, I thought it only natural that she should _learn_ from this experience."

"She could learn some _discipline_ that's for sure," muttered Thorin. I looked at the floor, embarrassed.

"Fine," said Lady Lorienna. "Revel," she turned to me. "You may wait outside while I finish off Mr Oakenshield. Then we will go and treat the others. I'm sure there will be others who will be more than willing to help you with your medicine. But if Mr _Oakenshield_ thinks that it is above him, then fine!"

The dislike between the physician and the dwarf king was palpable. I escaped the heavy atmosphere, and slipped back out on to the balcony where I had gone the previous day when Lady Lorienna had sent me from the room.

I sighed. It seemed that I wasn't going to get on Thorin Oakenshield's good side any time soon. It was a shame, as I really would have liked to hear more about his adventures. Perhaps, in time, we would become close, and laugh together about these early days. Ha, I laughed flatly to myself. Yes, and Tahadrial and me would become best friends.

"Hello,"

I looked up as a voice startled me from my wistful thoughts. It was the young dwarf I had collided into the previous day. He looked nervously at Thorin's door, which was ajar, and I could hear him and Lady Lorienna still arguing inside.

"Hello," I replied, thankful once more that I was not accompanied by a bulging bag of medicines this time.

"It, uh, it doesn't sound like they're getting on very well in there," the dwarf scratched the back of his head awkwardly as Thorin gave another growl of anger.

"No," I said. "Thorin Oakenshield doesn't seem to get on very well here at all." I realised then that I seemed to have adopted something of Lady Lorienna's bitter views of the dwarf king. But before I had time to correct this, the dwarf was speaking again.

"No, I'm afraid my uncle-_Thorin_, doesn't much care for elves."

Oh dear. I had completely forgotten that this young dwarf was Thorin's _nephew_.

"Oh well!" I said, hurriedly trying to correct myself. "He really is a great guy, you know. Really caring and kind and wonderful and..."

I trailed off. The dwarf was laughing. "You don't need to say those things on _my_ behalf!" he said through laughter. "I know he's said some terrible things about you elves-

"I'm not an elf," I piped up again. For some reason, though I grew up wanting nothing more than to be one of the elves, surrounded by these dwarves I found it very much necessary to set it straight that I was a human.

"Oh," said the dwarf, taken aback. He'd stopped laughing. "Sorry, I just assumed-

"Don't be sorry," I said. "It's actually quite a compliment. To be mistaken for an elf."

"So then...what are you? If you don't mind me asking, of course." He added, quickly.

"Nothing," I said, unable to entirely keep the bitterness out of my voice. "Just a plain, ordinary human. No power, no charm, no strength, no nothing."

The dwarf said nothing for a while. My human nature must have disgusted him in to silence. He finally spoke.

"I don't see how you can be nothing," he said. "When you've been brought here as the apprentice of the best physician in Rivendell. That must mean you're good at _something_."

This was kind of him to say, seeing as he was so obviously horrified by my lack of power, and I didn't have the heart to tell him I was only there as some sort of revenge plan of Lady Lorienna's against Thorin Oakenshield. I smiled instead.

"Revel!" Lady Lorienna herself then came bustling out, eyes bright with elation. "I have subjected that dwarf to great painful treatment, and feel so much better-

"Lady Lorienna!" I cried, interrupting her even though I knew she hated it. "Have you met...?" I turned to the dwarf, realising then that I didn't even know his name.

"Fili," he supplied.

"Have you met Fili?" I finished. "You know, Thorin Oakenshield's _nephew_?" I looked pointedly at her.

"Oh right," Lady Lorienna said flatly. "Yes, I met you yesterday, didn't I? I treated your brother for a viral infection? Or was that somebody else? There's such a terrible _lot_ of you, you know. It's very difficult to keep up."

"No no," said the dwarf-Fili. "That's me. Actually, I wanted to ask you about my brother, that's why I came over. You see he-

"All in good time!" said Lady Lorienna, beginning to move towards the next room. "There's plenty more dwarves to see this morning and your _dear_ uncle has taken up quite enough of my time."

Fili's face fell. I thought Lady Lorienna was being terribly unfair. But then, she _had_ had to endure spending time in close proximity to Thorin. I could hardly blame her for being in a bad mood.

"But Lady Lorienna," I said, quickly. "_I_ could go and take a look at-

The physician threw me such a stern look that I fell silent immediately.

"Come along, Revel," she said. "We've a rather nasty stomach wound to attend to. We will get to Fidle and his brother later."

Lady Lorienna then practically dragged me into the next room, where I spent the next half an hour with my face next to a very large dwarf's stomach, examining a wound that was leaking a putrid smelling pus.

"I do think you were unfair on that dwarf," I said, daring to voice my thoughts aloud as we left Bombur wrapped up in stiff bandages and unhappily eating a breakfast of melon boats. "He only wanted our help."

"And help I will give them!" said Lady Lorienna. "But I don't see why I should give favouritism to the line of Durin. If those young dwarves are _anything_ like their uncle, I might consider not attending to them at all-

"You can't mean that!"

Lady Lorienna sniffed. "No, I do not mean that. I do not let prejudice's get in the way of my work. However, I do not consider those two to be of great importance to us. One is fine save a few bumps and bruises, and the other is merely suffering from a viral infection, no doubt picked up through nights out in the cold and poor eating habits. There is hardly much I can do for them."

This, I supposed, was all I was going to get out of the physician, and we proceeded on to treat maladies and injuries of varying kinds, from more orc wounds, to violent sickness to broken fingers. Lady Lorienna attempted to treat the experience as educational for me, but I was much more interested in hearing about how the dwarves acquired their injuries. Most were much more willing to indulge me than their leader had been, and some of the dwarves I found to be really quite friendly. I even tried to learn their names, something Lady Lorienna told me was futile, though I got a bit confused after the first few.

The young dwarf Fili met us as we approached the final room of the dwarves' residence, which was still swamped in darkness; the curtains not yet drawn.

"I really don't think he's well," he said, nervously, as Lady Lorienna went over to the bed, indicating to me that I should open the curtain.

"Of course he's not well," snapped Lady Lorienna. "He's suffering, but you'll get him better no quicker by worrying about him."

A dark haired head emerged from under the blankets, eyes still bleary with sleep.

"How are you feeling, Kiwi?" asked Lady Lorienna, already mixing up some medicines in a bottle.

"It's _Kili_," said Fili.

"Yes, well," said Lady Lorienna, turning back to her patient. "Are we any better this morning?"

"A little," croaked out the young, dark haired dwarf. He looked _dreadful_. Far worse than Thorin Oakenshield and some of the others. Though perhaps not Ori, the dwarf who was vomiting up slime every few minutes.

"Good good," said Lady Lorienna briskly. "Your brother seems most concerned about you, but I've told him there's nothing to worry about. Now, drink this."

She handed over a bottle. "Revel," she said. "Come here and take the temperature. You ought to know if it's dangerous or not."

I made my way over, thinking that this sounded like a horribly important task to do.

"But don't you think you should-

"Fidle, _please_," said Lady Lorienna. "You make your brother suffer ten times worse by worrying about him. And I'd limit the time you spend in here as well." She looked about the room. "The disease is highly infectious."

I, who had been leaning toward the dark haired dwarf in order to feel his forehead, leapt back from the bed.

"Highly _infectious_?" I squeaked.

Lady Lorienna rolled her eyes expressively. "Highly infectious to _dwarves_," she said, as though this were the most obvious thing in the world. "Not to _you_. So hurry up and do as I've asked, please!"

"Oh, right. Yes. Of course." I hurriedly returned to the bed, and placed a hand upon the dwarf's forehead. He wriggled slightly under my hand and I loosened my grip.

"Well?" said Lady Lorienna impatiently. I could feel Fili's eyes on me too and, from underneath my hand, Kili looked up through dark, bleary eyes.

"It's, err..." I had no idea! His head felt warm, that was sure, but how was I to know if it was dangerous or not? "It seems very hot." I concluded, thinking it was best to be over cautious. "Could be dangerous."

Fili drew in his breath. Lady Lorienna rolled her eyes again. "Get out of the way," she snapped at me, pushing me aside, and taking the dwarf's temperature with her own, skilled hand. "Just as I thought," she said. "No more than a little above average." She glared at me before turning to Fili. "Your brother is going to be fine," she said. "But I would take my advice on keeping your distance from here. If you want to get a message to your brother, you can always ask Revel. She would be more than willing to run down here for you."

'Run down'? It was a good half an hour trek across Rivendell! I had half a mind to set this straight with Lady Lorienna, but Fili's grateful face was enough to make me not.

"Thank you," he said. "That's nice to know."

"Now," said Lady Lorienna. "Would you like me to take another look at those bruises, or-

"No!" cried Fili. He checked himself. "No, no. It's fine. _They_ are fine. Nothing to worry about." There was a sort of false cheeriness about his voice.

"Very well," said Lady Lorienna. "Kiwi-

"_Kili_"

"Kili, I shall be back to check on you this afternoon. In the meantime, I suggest you rest as best you can."

The three of us left Kili who, after drinking Lady Lorienna's medicine, had more or less slipped into a slumber.

"Come along Revel," Lady Lorienna was leading us away. "There is much still to be done back at the House. I dread to think what those girls have been up to in my absence..."

I followed her back through the little cluster of houses, waving a brief farewell to Fili, who stood miserably out on the balcony, obviously at a loss with no Kili to sit by.


	3. Chapter 3

The Physician's was packed with customers. It was mid afternoon, and the room was full of elves stocking up on the latest ointments and medicines. Lady Lorienna was running at full speed, and had drafted in the assistances of most of her apprentices.

"Ah, Revel," she said, breathless from rushing around, as I passed through carrying several boxes of dried rosemary. "You're to go over to the dwarves' residence, please. Your presence is required."

"M-_my_ presence? How do you know?"

"A little bird told me."

I almost laughed, remembering the jokes my mother used to make whenever it was my birthday; 'a little bird told me it's someone's birthday today', but then remembered that the elvish physician was unlikely to be using a human proverb. And, sure enough, as I glanced to Lady Lorienna's shoulder, I saw a small blue bird twittering away with its message that I was not skilled enough to understand.

"Won't you be coming?" I asked, as I placed the boxes on a shelf.

"How can I?" snapped Lady Lorienna. "I haven't got time to deal with dwarves _any_more. I've got a business to run here! Take one of the other girls with you if you must."

I looked hopefully towards Anneli, who was behind the counter with her sleeves rolled up to her shoulders, kneading a sticky looking dough in a bucket.

"_Not_ Anneli," said Lady Lorienna, reading my thoughts. "She's far too busy with that mixture. Take Tahadrial or Roseanna or somebody."

And who should appear from the workshop at that moment? Tahadrial of course.

"_I'll_ come with you, Revel," she said, with false sweetness. "_I_ don't mind."

"Oh, you really don't have to-

"Nonsense! It will be _much_ more fun for you if there's two of us!"

Smiling serenely, Tahadrial slipped her arm through mine, and I allowed myself to be steered out of the shop by her, a sort of stunned expression frozen on my face.

As soon as we were a few yards away from the physician's, the elf dropped my arm as though burnt.

"Don't think I'm doing this to be nice to you," she said, tossing her long shiny hair.

"Don't worry, I wouldn't think such a ridiculous thing!"

"I'm only coming because I don't see why _you_ should be the only one to get special treatment. It's not even as though you're very good at your job!"

"Yeah? So then why did Lady Lorienna choose _me_ to come with her again this morning?"

"Probably because she feels sorry for you!"

We glared at each other.

I stomped off down the stone path, refusing to speak or even look at the elf, and we continued this fuming silence the whole way through Rivendell. As we approached the dwarves' residence, I thought it necessary to break the silence, and set some things straight.

"This is _my_ job, alright?" I said, into the silence. "You're not to go messing it up for me, do you hear?"

Tahadrial rolled her large eyes. "Like _that_'s going to happen," she said. "It's more likely to be the other way around. _You're_ the one that usually messes things up."

"That's not true!"

"How about when we had to spend all day cleaning up the workshop when you exploded that bubopod flower everywhere?"

"Well I-

"Or when you treated that elf for measles, when he was really suffering from a heat rash?"

"But that was-

"_Or_ when you embarrassed us all in front of Lord Elrond by dropping that precious urn?"

We would probably had argued in this manner for the rest of the day, had we not been interrupted by a harassed looking Fili, who came hurrying up to us at that moment.

"Hello," he said, breathlessly.

"Hi," I said.

"Look, I'm sorry to bring you all the way down here," the dwarf said. "But could you please go and check on my brother? I've been worried all day..."

I was beginning to agree with Lady Lorienna that Fili would do better to forget about Kili and stop worrying, or he was going to do _himself_ some damage. But I did not say this. The dwarf had been kind to me, and I was determined to be kind in return.

"Of course I'll-

"Oh _I'll_ go, Revel," interrupted Tahadrial. I stared at her in surprise. She was looking at Fili with interest, and had drawn herself up to her full, impressive, elven height. "Why don't you go and give a dwarf a foot rub or something?" I opened my mouth in surprise. "I'm Tahadrial," she continued to Fili, who was gazing up at the elf. "I shall gladly see to your brother, if you would take me to him. I'm a very skilled physician, you know. It's the elven touch, you know. And I'm _very_ experienced. Not like poor Revel, here. She's more of a...Well, a dishwasher really! Not a _proper_ physician's apprentice."

Tahadrial continued this irritating monologue all the way down the balcony, while Fili, unable to get a word in edgeways, continued to gaze up at her in awe.

Damn Tahadrial! Curse her and her elvish allure. My _one_ and only time to shine had been taken away from me. Fili had asked _me_ to come down here to look after his brother. _I_ had felt useful and important for the first time in my life, and now Tahadrial had come in and spoiled it all. She had taken Fili in under her stupid elven charm, and I would never be called on again. He had sided with _her_. I _hated _this. Being shunted aside by elves all the time; always overshadowed and ostracised, just because I wasn't like them.

I kicked out at railing suddenly, practically growling in anger.

"You don't sound too happy," I glanced round and saw somebody of dwarfish stature stood in the doorway behind me. I turned back to look out and over the valley. I had had enough of dwarves.

"I'm not," I said, dully.

"Do you...do you want to talk about it?" he asked, timidly.

"No," I said, flatly. And then-"But do you ever feel like you don't fit in? Like you're surrounded by others, but you're all alone because they're not like you? Like a...a cow in a field of ponies, or a human in a land of elves, or a-

"Or a hobbit in a Company of dwarves?"

I turned back around and looked closer at the small person. Of course it wasn't a dwarf! Two large hairy feet stuck out from under his trousers, and two pointy ears flickered out from behind his curly hair. I had read about hobbits before, but never actually see one! I couldn't help but exclaim in excitement.

"Oh wow you're a hobbit!" I said.

"Well noted," said the hobbit, dryly. "An excellent observation, if I may say so. And, while I'm in the habit of saying things, might I say that _you_ are not an elf. You're not stupidly tall and you don't have pointy ears."

I grinned almost shyly. It was very unusual for elvish traits to be spoken of in such a way that bordered on negative. It was refreshing.

"No," I agreed. "I'm not an elf. I'm a human. So nothing special here."

"Well that's where you're wrong," said the hobbit, waggling his finger at me and joining me in a surveillance of the valley. "Some of the greatest legends come from Man himself. Locrain, son of Locrore and his fight with the three headed bear? Errm, Thilbus and the mosquito swarm? He saved an entire village, _and_ he only had one arm."

"_Really?_"

The hobbit nodded. "Yep. Though, as my dear old mother used to say 'revel in your imperfections.' And he certainly did!"

I gasped.

"What?" asked the hobbit. "What's the matter?"

"Oh, it's nothing," I said, quickly. "It's just that, well. That's my name. Revel."

"Well then!" said the hobbit, clapping his hands together. "That seems like a good sign to me!"

I smiled. "Thank you," I said. "You've made me realise; I was being ridiculous. Before, I mean. But it's just hard when you know you don't fit in."

"Tell me about it!" said the hobbit. He lowered his voice, "Imagine being surrounded by _dwarves_ all the time."

I grinned. "I can see how their company could grow tiring," I agreed.

"I'm Bilbo, by the way," the hobbit said, extending a hand. "Bilbo Baggins."

I took his hand. "Revel," I said. "I'm the Lady Lorienna's apprentice. Or, one of them, at least."

"Oh, you're the physician's girl?" Bilbo seemed to be putting bits of information together in his head. "Yes, of course! Gandalf was telling me about Lady Lorienna's work. It seems that Thorin gave you a hard time, eh?"

I shrugged. "It's not as if I don't deserve it," I said. "But he does seem to dislike the elves greatly. Him and Lady Lorienna don't get along at _all_ well."

Bilbo considered this. "No," he said, slowly agreeing. "No, he doesn't seem to care for elves much, does he? Oh well, _I _do! Elves _fascinate_ me."

"Yes, well," I said, suddenly feeling quite miserable. "They're fascinating creatures," I said, dully.

"Oh, I didn't mean-

"Ah, still here, Revel?" Tahadrial was advancing towards us. Fili was nowhere to be seen. "I thought you might have taken your little self off back to the House, seeing as you're not needed here."

I felt some of the anger that had evaporated during my talk with the hobbit returning full force.

"Excuse _me_-

"Thank you _so_ much for your help," interrupted Bilbo suddenly. "You've been so useful! I can't thank you enough."

He grinned wildly at me, clapping me on the arm. I blinked, stunned.

"What's all this?" said Tahadrial. "What have you been up to _this_ time, Revel?"

"Oh she's been very kind helping me with a...a medical _conundrum_ of mine."

"Oh? Well. That's...that's very good," Tahadrial looked rather taken aback. "Anyway, we best be off, if we're all done here."

"Right, yes," I said. "Did you let Fili in to see Kili, then?"

"Of course not Revel!" she said, condescendingly, rolling her eyes at Bilbo. "The infection is highly contagious to dwarves. Let Fili in the same room as his brother and you might as well _inject_ him with illness!"

I narrowed my eyes. "I _know _it's contagious," I said. "But Fili has spent plenty of time with Kili, and he's not sick yet, is he? It's hardly going to matter if he sits with him for a few minutes."

"_That_," said Tahadrial. "Is the difference between a proper physician's apprentice, and _you._"

"Fine," I said, having had just about enough of the elf's remarks that day. "Fine! You're right. You're _absolutely_ right."

With that, I turned on my heel, and stormed away along the balcony, without a backward glance. Not even a grateful smile to my new hobbit friend.

Of course, Tahadrial, with her long, lithe, elven legs, soon caught up to me as I trudged along the stone path.

"I wouldn't leave in such a hurry if I were you, Revel," she said in a sing-song voice. "Lady Lorienna wouldn't like the state you've left that poor dwarf in."

"What do you _mean_?" I said, harshly, rounding on her. "What have you done?"

"_I_ haven't done anything," said Tahadrial innocently. "After all, _I_ wasn't the one that was supposed to be checking on him, was I? That was_ your_ job."

There was something horrible about the way Tahadrial was looking at me, and I knew then that something was terribly, terribly wrong.

I had never run so fast in my life, as fast as I sprinted back down the stone path towards the cluster of golden houses.

"Get out of the _way_!" I shouted at a small group of child elves, who were gathered at the gates, obviously trying to catch a glimpse of the famous dwarf Company.

At the end of the balcony, I burst into Kili's room, and there was a strange stillness about the room that confirmed my suspicions that something was very, very wrong.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no," I moaned, hurrying over to the bed. The young, dark haired dwarf was flat on his back, eyes closed, mouth slightly apart, sweat glistening on his forehead. "Oh no," I moaned again as I tried to rouse him. "Kili...Kili...hello? Can you hear me? Kili, _please_!"

I rushed to the door, calling out. "Help! Help, oh please, help me!"

"What's the matter?" to my immense relief, Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit, suddenly appeared at the door. "What's happened? Everyone's having dinner in their-

"It's Kili," I said, desperately. "That foul _elf_, Tahadrial. She...Oh she's done something to Kili, and it's all my fault!"

"Calm down," said Bilbo. "Try to think _clearly_. Is he...is he..._breathing_?"

"Yes, yes," I said, breathing rapidly. "But he seems weak. And he's burning up terribly! Oh no, oh no, oh no..."

"Come on," said Bilbo, briskly. "Think, Revel. Think! You're a physician's _apprentice_. You must be able to do _something_."

I went back over to Kili, desperately trying to see what I could possibly do. As I leant down over him, something caught my eye on the table beside his bed. A fire was burning, as always, in the grate, and the firelight was caught flickering on something glass on the table. I snatched up the bottle. It was essence of nettle.

"It's essence of nettle!" I cried. "She's given him nettle poisoning!"

"Well then! What do we do now?" asked Bilbo, looking about the room as though expecting to find the answer on the ceiling.

"I don't know!" I cried, hysterically. "I don't_ know_ what to do! He needs elvish medicine. He needs an _elf_."

"No he doesn't," said Bilbo. "You know what to do, I _know_ you do. Deep dig inside yourself. _Revel in your imperfections_, remember!"

I gazed into Bilbo's eyes; he was willing me to do something heroic, I knew he was, but I just couldn't _think_ straight, and I was becoming increasingly aware of Kili's stilling body beside me.

_Think, think, think._ Nettle poisoning. Lady Lorienna had never really taught us anything about nettle _poisoning _before. Nettles had only ever been used to counteract the effects of-

"Rumex," I murmured. "Rumex, that's it! I need _rumex_ leaves to counteract the nettles! It's a simple balancing equation, ha!" I laughed, elated. So much so, that I could have kissed Bilbo Baggins the little hobbit right there and then. But I didn't. Instead I sprinted out of the room, where rumex leaves were growing by the dozen in little bunches around the balcony. Grabbing a fistful, I crushed them in my hand, releasing their juices all over my fingers.

"Here," I breathed as I leant over the poor sick dwarf. "Here, just suck these, just a little...

I forced some of the rumex juices in to Kili's mouth, and let out a huge sigh of relief as the dwarf gave a great, shuddering breath, and stirred.

"Fee..." he croaked. "Fee..." What'

"What...what's he saying?" I asked Bilbo. The hobbit shrugged, still looking slightly stunned by the dramatic turn of events.

"Fee...lee...Fee...Fili..." Kili was speaking again, only this time, I knew what he was asking after.

"Fili!" I said, realisation dawning. "Yes, of course. Fili. Bilbo, could you...?"

"Yes! Yes, right," said the hobbit. "I'll just... I'll just go and get him."

"Oh, don't mention this to any of the others just yet?" I said. "I don't want any alarm."

"Of course not."

When the hobbit was gone, I tried to make sure that Kili was comfortable.

"How are you feeling?" I asked. "I'm sorry, it seems you had a terrible..._turn_, for the worse, that is. But I think you'll be on the mend now."

Kili gave a weak smile. "I haven't felt well for weeks," he admitted. "It's been tough...of course..."

Oh how I longed to ask questions of his journey! How I longed to hear of the thrilling battles he must have watched, the exciting landscapes he must have seen. But I knew it would not be neither kind nor helpful to the dwarf to push him to re-live his adventures.

"Revel, come quick!" Bilbo's urgent voice brought me running out on to the balcony.

"What's the matter?" I asked, but I was already pushing my way past into the adjacent bedroom to Kili's, and was not altogether shocked to discover Fili, lying flat out on his back, on top of his bedclothes.

It was immediately apparent to me, that this was not as serious as the scene I had walked in on in Kili's room. For one thing, Fili did not look at all unwell, and, for another thing, he was snoring loudly.

I walked swiftly over to him, and shook his shoulder roughly. He wriggled under my touch, but did not stir.

"I think he's probably been drugged with a sleeping draft," I concluded. "Tahadrial, of course, would not have wanted any witnesses to her crime. And Fili was with her when she was going over to check on Kili. She must have drugged him before going in and administering the poison." I was speaking more to myself than to anybody else, but Bilbo nodded along encouragingly.

"What should we do about Fili?" he asked, gesturing to the sleeping dwarf.

I hesitated. "Fetch me a glass of water, please," I asked, after a moment. "_Cold_ water."

Bilbo busied himself over at the stone basin at the back of the room, filling up a glass tumbler and bringing it over to me. I took a sip to test it and then, after an infinitesimal hesitation, I threw it over the sleeping figure of Fili.

The dwarf shot upright, spluttering and suddenly very much awake.

"What in Durin's name...?" he cried, incredulously, looking from me to Bilbo, wiping water from his eyes.

"I'm sorry!" I cried. "I'm sorry but..." I dithered. I didn't want to worry Fili any more by telling him about Tahadrial's activities, and I _really_ didn't like the idea of the story going around the group of dwarves. "But you fainted!" I said, suddenly. "Yes, that's right. You fainted and...and we've just been, uh, _reviving_ you."

I looked to Bilbo, who nodded enthusiastically to confirm this tale of events.

"Oh," said Fili, after a while. "That's strange...I don't remember-

"Don't worry," I interrupted. "Slight amnesia is very common after a blow to the head. And you hit your head. As you hit the floor. You know. When you fainted."

"Right," Fili continued to look puzzled. "Well, thanks," he said.

"No problem," I said, brightly. "Now, I really ought to be off. Lady Lorienna will be wondering where I've got to. Bilbo...?" I gestured to the hobbit to accompany me out of Fili's room. I very much wanted a word with him.

"What happened to your...your elf, friend?" asked Fili, when I was halfway out the door. "She said that she felt unwell, and that _you_ would go to look in on Kili after all. I hope she's alright."

I couldn't bring myself to look at Fili as I answered. "She's fine," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "She's fine...and so is Kili. I think he's recovering well."

At the golden gates, I turned to Bilbo. "I must take you in to my confidence," I said to the hobbit. "And ask you to keep what has happened this afternoon to yourself. I don't wish to cause unnecessary alarm."

Bilbo nodded. "Of course," he said. "I understand...Though, I hope you're going to report this to your boss. The physician. That elf nearly _killed_ somebody!"

"Nettle poisoning wouldn't kill," I muttered. "And it wouldn't make any difference if I told Lady Lorienna or not; she would never believe me against Tahadrial."

"Well I'd speak up for you! As a witness and all that."

"No," I said, quickly. "It's really not worth it. Really."

Bilbo looked doubtful. "Alright," he said, slowly. "Alright."

I smiled gratefully at him. "Thank you," I said. "You know, I've never met a hobbit before, but I certainly am very glad to have met _you_."

"And I you!" said Bilbo jovially. "And Revel, for what it's worth, I think you'll make a _fine_ physician one day."


	4. Chapter 4

Over dinner that evening, Lady Lorienna dropped a bombshell.

"I hope you've all made the appropriate arrangements for going home."

The mouthful of soup I had just inhaled caught at the top of my throat, and I spluttered while Anneli thumped me on the back.

"G-Going home?" I choked eventually. "What do you mean going home?"

"Home is a place where people _live_ Anneli," said Tahadrial, patronisingly.

"I know what a _home_ is!" I snapped. "I meant-

"Next week you all will finish your time as my apprentices," interrupted Lady Lorienna. "You can all go home for the summer, as I will be taking on a new batch of apprentices in the autumn."

Several of the elves started whispering animatedly together, obviously excited at the prospect of going back to see their families. I was in shock. I had never thought about my life with Lady Lorienna coming to an end. It was stupid, I knew, but I had never considered what I would do when I was no longer the physician's apprentice. Get a job? That was absurd. No one was going to employ a clumsy human girl with little talent, when there were a dozen other young, skilled elves ready to take the job instead. And as for going 'home', well that was just ridiculous. I had no home to go to! What was I supposed to do; go back and visit Cenielora at the orphanage? I wasn't sure _that_ would go down well. I think the old matron had been glad to finally see me off. I had outstayed my welcome at the orphanage by about ten years. My stomach sunk miserably.

"And," Lady Lorienna continued. "While we're on the subject, I had an announcement to make," she paused for dramatic effect and while she made sure she had the attentions of all the elves in the room. "After the summer, I will be taking on _one_ of you as my _assistant_ physician!"

There was a united gasp around the table.

"And so," she continued. "Over this next week I expect each and every one of you to be showing my why I should choose _you_."

"When will we find out who you've chosen?" asked one of the elves, breathless with excitement.

"At the end of next week," said Lady Lorienna. "Before you all go home. Now, off to bed, all of you! There's a busy day of medicine ahead of us tomorrow."

There was a scraping of chairs against the stone floor as everyone stood up, and as we filed out of the kitchen, the excitable chatter started up again; everyone was imagining what a _thrill_ it would be to be Lady Lorienna's proper assistant physician.

"It would be great, wouldn't it?" said Anneli, her eyes shining in the near darkness as we climbed the stairs. "To be assistant to the greatest physician in Rivendell!"

"Hmm, yes," I muttered, distractedly. I had just noticed Tahadrial slip away from the group along the landing, no doubt to use the bathroom, and I saw my chance to confront her about her actions down at the dwarves' residence that afternoon. I hadn't had opportunity to do so until then.

"I'll be up in a minute," I said to Anneli, and slipped away to follow Tahadrial down the landing. I had to practically jog, but I caught up to her before she reached the bathroom, and pushed my way in front of her, blocking the door.

"Why did you poison that dwarf with nettles?" I hissed. I longed to put my hands on her and shove her in an intimidating manner. But the fact that she was a good head taller than me made this idea frankly laughable.

She smirked. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said, turning away.

"Hey!" I cried, reaching up and pulling on her shoulder so that she was facing me again. "You know_ exactly_ what I'm talking about."

Tahadrial shook my hand off with ease. "Keep your grubby paws off me!" she hissed. "And ok, fine. So what if I did give that dwarf a slight case of nettle poisoning? You heard Lady Lorienna; she's looking for _one_ of us to become her assistant. It's time to get competitive."

"That doesn't mean you have to nearly _kill_ someone!"

"Oh come _on_ Revel," said Tahadrial, breezily. "You may be one of the worse physician's here, but even _you_ know that nettles do not _kill_. Now stop being so melodramatic, and get up to bed like a good girl."

Before I could say anything else, she had pushed me easily aside, and stepped through into the bathroom, slamming the door in my face.

Fuming, I stormed up to the bedroom, and threw myself down on my blankets.

"What's up with you?" said Anneli, who was folding down her dress. "You're not letting Tahadrial get to you again, are you?"

"No," I lied.

"Good, because if you _were_," Anneli continued. "You shouldn't be. Know why? I was thinking. Lady Lorienna's assistant physician-I bet she'll pick you!"

"_What_? Don't be ridiculous," I said, but at Anneli's words an image was already forming in my mind; 'Revel, assistant physician to the great Lady Lorienna of Rivendell'. But I hurriedly dismissed it. There was no way Lady Lorienna would choose me.

"I'm not being ridiculous!" said Anneli. She leant toward me and lowered her voice. "_You're_ the one that Lady Lorienna brings to treat those dwarves, aren't you?"

"Oh. Yeah, but..." I was thinking about the fact that Lady Lorienna only brought me to the dwarves to aggravate Thorin Oakenshield.

"So that must mean something, right?" continued Anneli. "It must mean that she thinks _you're_ the most capable."

Yes, I thought. Or she thinks I'm the most likely to annoy an arrogant dwarf king she's taken a dislike to.

But I didn't tell my friend this. Nor did I tell her of Tahadrial's ridiculous and frankly dangerous competiveness. She probably wouldn't have believed me anyway. I loved Anneli, but she _did _struggle to see the bad in _any_one.

x-x-x

The next morning was broiling. It was the first official day of summer, and the sun was making sure everyone in Rivendell knew that. Though it was not yet high in the sky, the sun was establishing itself by beating down a blazing heat through the streets, as Lady Lorienna and myself made our way down through the town. The streets were quieter that morning, market stall owners obviously staying inside to keep cooler. And I couldn't blame them; today was most certainly _not_ a day to be rushing around setting up business.

"Hot, isn't it?" caked an elven woman who was bravely setting up her fruit stall along the edge of the street. She cast a wary eye up at the clear blue sky.

"Indeed," answered Lady Lorienna in her usual, clipped tone. As we moved away from the fruit stall owner, the physician added to me; "That produce will be ruined in no time in this heat. It's a _preposterous_ notion to attempt business on a day like today."

"Does this mean we've got the day off?" I asked, eagerly.

"Don't be ridiculous!" the physician snapped. "The work of medicine is _essential_ to Rivendell. It cannot stop simply because of a trifling heat!"

It was easy for Lady Lorienna to say this! Her elven gown and slippers made of the finest silk was bound to be cooler than my woollen skirt and old boots. I could already feel sweat trickling down my back, and was extremely thankful when we reached the shade of the eucalyptus trees that flanked the stone path down to the golden houses.

"Can't we...can't we pause...pause for moment?" I panted, leaning gratefully against one of the trees.

Lady Lorienna, who had been a good few yards in front of me, stopped and turned round to look at me.

"_Pause_ for a moment?" she asked, as if the very notion of pausing was alien to her. "Don't be silly, Revel. It's not _that_ hot. If you don't feel up to the tasks today, I suggest you delegate your duties to Tahadrial or one of the others."

I straightened up immediately. The thought of that _vile_ girl replacing me was enough for me to forget entirely about the heat.

"Is it hot?" I said, airily, sweeping past Lady Lorienna. "Really, I hadn't noticed."

The physician smiled drily at me. "That's what I thought," she said.

I was remembering also her words from the previous evening. She was looking for _one_ of us to become her assistant physician. I needed to start proving to Lady Lorienna that _I_ was the one she wanted!

Just inside the gate to the cluster of golden houses, Gandalf, the wizard, had propped up his chair against the wall in the only patch of shade along the entire balcony. He had abandoned his large wizard's hat and was perspiring gently on his forehead. His pipe was still making regular movements from his lap to his mouth, but the smoke rings that protruded from his lips were a lot smaller than the previous day, and fluttered pitifully in front of his face before the heat evaporated them.

"Good morning Gandalf," greeted Lady Lorienna, cheerfully. She seemed to like the aged wizard, even if he _had_ brought a pack of troublesome dwarves into her life.

"Morning," replied the wizard. "I..." he hesitated. "I feel I should warn you," he said. "You'll find the dwarves in bad temper this morning. But don't take it personally. It's this heat, you see. They're not used to it."

"Hmm," said Lady Lorienna, disapprovingly. "They'd be a lot more used to it if they didn't insist on wearing so many furs and having roaring fires in their rooms every day."

Gandalf smiled weakly. "There is nothing I can say to that," he said.

We moved past the wizard, leaving him to continue his attempts at smoke rings, and went into Thorin Oakenshield's room.

Unlike the previous day, _that_ morning when we entered, the dwarf was already awake, sitting upright on his bed, and fidgeting uncomfortably. He glanced up at us as we came into the room.

"Your other apprentices still not fit?" he asked, eyeing me suspiciously.

"Yes," Lady Lorienna lied easily.

"Hmm," Thorin murmured, doubtfully. But he didn't say anything more.

"It's very warm today," said Lady Lorienna, moving over toward the bed. "I would suggest you remove some of your clothing-

"I _beg_ your pardon!"

"-and have someone put that fire out!" finished Lady Lorienna over Thorin's cries of protest. "In fact," she turned to me. "Revel, open those windows and throw some water over the fire. And then soak some cloths in cold water. I think we'll be needing them today."

She looked out the door at the pouring sunlight.

"And now, Mr Oakenshield," she said, turning back to her patient. "How's your arm today?"

The physician continued on with her work, keeping me a safe distance away from the dwarf king as I busied myself with the tasks she'd given me. Using the tap at the back of the room, I filled a bucket with cold water, and tipped a pile of cloths into it.

"When can we get going again?" Thorin was asking as I reappeared at the bed. "We've been sitting around for far too long."

"Patience, Mr Oakenshield," said Lady Lorienna. "That arm's not yet up to fighting a cat, let alone anything else. And many of your Company are in far worse shape than you are."

"I want to see them," he said, suddenly. "I need to see how they are."

Lady Lorienna was obviously shocked by this sudden request, but she hid it well. "That's quite out of the question," she said. "These dwarves need rest, yourself included. I can tell you now that they are _all_ in good spirits. No one is in danger."

This did not seem to satisfy Thorin, and he growled in frustration.

"I didn't think Thorin Oakenshield would be one to care about his fellow dwarf," I said as we left. I had been almost touched by Thorin's wish to see how his Company was doing, even if it _was_ delayed slightly.

"Don't be absurd, Revel," said Lady Lorienna. "Thorin Oakenshield doesn't _care_ about his fellow dwarf, he just wants to know when they're fit to travel, so he can continue putting their lives in danger!"

Though I would never voice it aloud, I happened to disagree with Lady Lorienna. Her perception of the dwarf king was distorted; she saw him only as an unpleasant, arrogant and selfish person, whereas I had just seen a different side to Thorin. He'd seemed concerned about the welfare of the dwarves and, in some strange way of his own, seemed to care for them.

We continued on our rounds.

All the dwarves complained bitterly about the heat, and the cold cloths I'd prepared were in constant demand. Carrying the bucket of water around, a task I was assigned to, was difficult enough in itself; it was awkward and heavy and water kept making an escape and slopping over the sides.

Bombur, the dwarf with the stomach wound, asked eagerly where breakfast was.

"I'm sure it's on its way," said Lady Lorienna, looking disapprovingly at Bombur's round stomach. "Now, have you been keeping the wound clean?" she asked, leaning over the dwarf to take a look.

"Well it's hard to tell," answered Bombur. "I can't really see it, you see..." Bombur peered doubtfully over his large belly. I had to fight to contain a grin.

"You look better this morning," said Lady Lorienna when we went to check up on Ori, the young dwarf who had been vomiting up slime the previous day. He was now sat up in bed, knitting a knobbly looking item that may or may not have been a scarf.

"Hello!" he said, cheerfully. "Yes I'm much better today. When can I get some breakfast?"

"Honestly!" Lady Lorienna rolled her eyes. "The only thing you lot ever seem to think about is _food_."

"Not just food," said Ori, innocently. "I think about knitting too. Just look at this jumper I'm working on at the moment!"

The dwarf held up his knitting proudly.

"Yes, well," said Lady Lorienna, sniffing. "I don't suppose you'll be needing such a thing on a day like today!"

She went to take out one of the cold, damp clothes.

"Oh Revel, this water had become far too _warm_," she said, as though this was somehow _my_ fault. Go and use it to water the plants and then fill it back up before we go in to see those young brothers."

I ventured out onto the balcony, where it was even hotter than before. With difficulty, I hitched the large, heavy bucket up onto the balcony, where I was about to tip it over onto the plants below, when a voice startled me;

"What are you doing?"

I jumped and the bucket, balancing precariously, tipped back.

"Oh!" I cried, jumping back violently as water cascaded out over the bucket and down my front.

"Sorry! I'm sorry, I just-

I looked up. It was Fili.

"I'm sorry!" he cried again, hurrying over. "I didn't mean to startle you, I was only-

"_Revel!_" Lady Lorienna's voice cut through the dwarf's babbling. The physician swept over to me in one fluid motion. She looked livid. "What on _earth_ are you doing?"

Fili and I both started talking at once.

"It was my fault," began Fili. "I didn't mean to-

"-was just an accident! The bucket overbalanced-

"-I can clear up the mess, I don't mind-

"-it's only a bit was water-

"_Enough!_" The physician called loudly over our chatter. We fell silent. The only noise for a moment was the slight dripping as beads of water continued to run down into the puddle that was forming at my feet.

"Revel, get back to the House. You'll need to change out of those clothes," said Lady Lorienna. "They're soaked through."

She whistled at a nearby bush, and a small blue bird emerged, tweeting cheerfully.

"What are you doing?" I asked, tentatively.

"Sending for Tahadrial," Lady Lorienna snapped. "She can come and help me finish up here. She came with you yesterday, didn't she? She'll be more than well suited for the tasks."

I looked miserably at the floor. I was looking less and less likely to be a candidate for Lady Lorienna's assistant physician.

"Cheer up," she said, suddenly brisk. "No one's died." She reached down and picked up the bucket that was still dripping, and bustled back into Ori's room.

I squeezed the end of my blouse, and several large drops of water leaked depressingly over my hands. I sighed.

"I really am sorry," said Fili again. And he looked it too. He was fiddling with one of the small braids in his hair, his hands, I noted, strangely delicate for a dwarf. He had braids in his beard too, that twitched whenever he smiled or spoke.

"It's fine, seriously," I said. "It wasn't your fault. Besides, it's actually quite refreshing."

The water was cooling my skin against the hot sun.

Fili smiled. "I can't say I'm not envious of you there, then," he said. "It's sweltering today."

"Why don't you take _that_ off?" I said, indicating his fur coat.

Fili shrugged. "I don't know...it wouldn't seem right. We always wear them..."

"Surely you don't _sleep_ in them though?"

Fili shrugged again. "Sometimes, he said. "We've been sleeping outdoors recently, so..." he trailed off. My stomach did some strange somersault. Oh how _longed_ to hear of their adventures! Even the concept of sleeping out of doors seemed adventurous and attractive to someone as ill-travelled as myself.

"Revel!" Oh dear. Lady Lorienna was back. "Felio," she addressed Fili. "Will you _kindly_ stop distracting my apprentice so she can get on with what she's supposed to be doing!"

Fili looked sheepish, but he grinned at me over the physician's shoulder.

As I left the cluster of golden houses, and began making my way back up through Rivendell, I met Tahadrial coming the other way. The bright sun was beating down on her dark, shiny hair, and reflecting off her pearly skin. When she saw me, she snorted with laughter.

"Oh dear Revel," she said. "Did we wet ourselves with excitement at the sight of those dwarves?"

"Of course not," I replied, hotly. "There was just an accident-

"Well I didn't think you'd done it on purpose!" the elf interrupted with another snort of laughter.

"That's not what I _meant_," I said.

"Whatever," Tahadrial said, loftily. "Anyway, I'd best be getting on. Lady Lorienna sent for me _specifically_, so I wouldn't want to keep her waiting."

She breezed away, making sure to give my shoulder a good shove with her elbow as she went past.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: Thank you so much for all the reviews and feedback I've had so far; I really appreciate everything. Apologies if this chapter seems a bit rushed, but I just really wanted to push on with the story! Enjoy! **

The following day was, perhaps, even hotter than the last, and there was a sluggish feel to everyone's movements. Even the elves were lacking in some of their usual serenity and elegance as the heat bore down on them. I had always loved summer before. The golden sunshine pouring down, warmth comforting on my skin as I enjoyed my walks. I always felt that life started over anew in the crisp autumn, and so the summer, to me, signified an exciting build up to what the next year would bring.

But I felt none of that in those following days of stifling summer. The heat was sticky and oppressive, and I felt is pressing down on me as I struggled to make sense of what I was going to do with my life. But I could see nothing for me beyond the end of the week, when I would leave Lady Lorienna's, and as the temperature around me continued to increase, so did my overwhelming frustration.

Post as Lady Lorienna's assistant physician was growing more and more likely to be given to Tahadrial as the days went by. Lady Lorienna hadn't asked me to attend the dwarves since the incident with the bucket of water, and she brought with her instead Tahadrial, morning and night. Either Thorin Oakenshield found similar aggravation with Tahadrial as he had with me (unlikely: the only person that Tahadrial seemed to aggravate was myself) or the physician considered me such a disaster, that she was willing to put aside her dislike for the dwarf king if it meant spending less time with me.

I hadn't realised how much I had enjoyed the daily visits to the golden cluster of houses, until they were gone. I missed the dwarves; Ori's amusing knitting, Dwalin's humorous anecdotes, Fili's conversation. I even missed Thorin Oakenshield, and his constant coming to blows with Lady Lorienna. But even more than the dwarves themselves, I missed the sense of _importance_ that I'd felt, walking along beside Lady Lorienna, just me and the physician doing out duty. I felt it had given me for the first time, a sense of purpose, and I'd felt valued for the first time in my life.

But now all that had been taken away from me, and I felt quite miserable because of it. I had missed the visits so much, that I had taken to crouching by the golden gates of an afternoon, peeking in to the community, and occasionally catching snippets of life; Gandalf the Grey smoking a pipe, Thorin Oakenshield flexing his injured arm about as though testing it, Fili and Kili (who was now fully recovered it seemed, though my own pride had kept me from asking Tahadrial for information on the dwarves' welfare) duelling with blunt knives along the balcony.

I found myself there the day before everyone was due to go home for the summer, thinking miserably of life in general, when I encountered my newfound hobbit friend once more.

"What on earth are you doing down there?" A voice had interrupted my melancholy thoughts I'd been turning over in my head while watching a pair of butterflies dancing around a nearby bush.

I looked up from my crouched position on the floor, and found myself looking straight into the face of Bilbo Baggins.

"Uh...nothing," I said, quickly straightening up. The hobbit was clutching a load of bread wrapped up in brown paper, and squinted up at me in the afternoon sun.

"I've been out getting some bread," he said, gesturing unnecessarily to the loaf in his hand.

"I see," I said.

There was silence for a moment.

"I haven't seen you around here for a while," the hobbit said eventually.

"No," I said. "It seems Lady Lorienna has found someone better equipped for the task." I could not entirely keep the bitterness out of my voice.

"Mmm," said the hobbit, unconvinced. "Yes I've see that elf girl around. You know I've been very close to telling your Lady Lorienna what she's been up to!"

"No, don't!" I cried. "Don't. It's not worth it. We're all going away tomorrow anyway."

"Going away? Going away where?"

"Out apprenticeship is over," I explained. "We're finished. We all go back home for the summer, only...only I've no home to go to." I finished bitterly, turning away from the hobbit to lean on the gate and stare moodily out at the golden houses.

"You're like those dwarves," said Bilbo after a while. "They have no home either."

I thought about this for a moment. Dwarves _did_ have no fixed home, like me. Perhaps we were actually quite similar, me and them? But I quickly dismissed this thought. Because at least the dwarves had some sense of purpose in life, some sense belonging, even if it was just with each other. I had none of that. The only sense of belonging I'd ever had was about to be taken away from me, for I was certain that I would not be chosen as Lady Lorienna's assistant physician. I voiced these thoughts aloud to Bilbo.

"Oh stop being so defeatist!" cried the hobbit, so scolding that I turned to look at him in surprise.

"You speak of having no purpose," the hobbit continued. "Well why don't you go out there and _find_ a purpose?" he gestured vaguely behind him. "Instead of moping around here. Get out _there_, and find somewhere where you belong!"

I continued to stare at the hobbit in surprise. "What," I said, blankly. "Like go on an adventure or something?"

"Yes, you could call it that. Or a...a journey of discovery, or...a rite of passage or a..."

The hobbit continued to speak, but I was no longer listening. He had lost me at the word 'adventure'. I was already picturing myself out there, in the wild, fighting man and beast alike, and having legends written about me for people to read in years to come. 'Revel Goblin-Slayer', or something like that, they would call me. My eyes glazed over.

"Revel..._Revel?_" Bilbo brought me back to the present.

"Right, yes," I said quickly, giving myself a little shake. "You're right Bilbo. You're absolutely right. Thank you for making see sense."

I beamed at the hobbit, who smiled uncertainly back, not so assertive now.

"Thank you!" I called again, waving, as I began walking away from the golden houses and back up the hill.

x-x-x

My mind was quite made up. Lady Lorienna had promised to tell us which lucky candidate had successfully secured position as her assistant physician over dinner, and, if I had got it (extremely unlikely) then I would think no more of adventures. If, however, I was unsuccessful, I would leave Rivendell that night, and set out on my own, real life adventure.

With this plan in mind, I was jittery and jumpy all afternoon. I broke five glass phials in Lady Lorienna's workshop, which was an all-time record, and upturned an entire sack of corn flour all over the floor.

"Whatever is the matter with you today, Revel?" Lady Lorienna snapped at me. "You're not sickening for something, are you?" She peered in my face.

"No," I said, innocently.

"Well your colour's up," the physician concluded, turning back to her work. "And you're all twitchy. Now, _concentrate_!"

"She probably thinks _she's_ going to be chosen as Lady Lorienna's assistant," whispered Tahadrial nastily when Lady Lorienna was out of earshot. "Like _that_'s going to happen."

Normally, I would have thrown something at the elf's head for a comment like that, a foolish action that would have gotten me in more trouble than anything else, but today I barely even heard her. I was far too nervous and excited thinking about how, this time tomorrow, I would be well on my way to having a proper adventure of my own.

"What do you think about adventures, Anneli?" I asked my friend as we stacked shelves together in a back room.

"Adventures?" Anneli asked, looking puzzled. "Why would you want to be asking me about them for?"

"Oh, no reason," I said, quickly. "Only, don't you think they'd be exciting?" I'd been half thinking that Anneli might wish to join me on my quest. She'd always enjoyed hearing the adventure stories after all.

"Well," my friend continued to look baffled. "I suppose so. But I think they'd be dangerous, too. Don't you think?"

I thought about this. "I guess," I said. "So...so you wouldn't want an adventure...an adventure of your own?"

"Heavens no!" cried my friend. "Besides I'm far too old to be daydreaming about silly things like adventures."

I stared at her. "_Silly_ things like adventures?" I asked her incredulously. "But adventures aren't silly! You used to love hearing about the ones in the books!"

Anneli sighed. "Exactly," she said. "I _used_ to. But I rather think I've outgrown dreaming of adventures now, haven't I?"

'Outgrown'? In the space of a week? I recalled Anneli asking me excitedly about Thorin Oakenshield the first evening I had attended the dwarves.

"It's time to grow up now, Revel," Anneli continued. "We've got to move on in the world. Get jobs. Start lives. That sort of thing. Not dreaming of daring adventures and handsome princes."

With that, Anneli placed the last tin on the shelf, and left the room. I stared after my friend in disbelief. What had happened to the elf girl who had whispered with me long into the night about fighting beasts and rescuing towns from evil? About trekking to far off lands filled with exotic people and creatures?

Well! I thought, _I_ wasn't about to give up on my adventure, no way! But Anneli's words had set a nagging feeling in the back of my mind and, for the first time since the idea had come to me that afternoon, I had doubts about going off in the middle of the night. _Was_ my plan just some silly, childish daydream?

But by the time dinner rolled round, I had no doubt in my mind that my adventure would go ahead as planned; childish daydream or not.

"It gives me great pleasure to extend my offer of assistant physician, to Tahadrial!" Lady Lorienna declared over dinner, speaking the words everyone had been expecting.

Tahadrial, the image of composure, thanked Lady Lorienna gracefully, and then smiled haughtily round at the rest of us, elevating her neck a little higher so as to give an impression of superiority. I gripped my fork tightly, trying very hard not to throw my salmon fillet right into her stupid, smug face.

"Well, that's not completely unexpected, is it?" Anneli whispered to me as everyone applauded. "Tahadrial _is_ the best physician here."

"Oh yes," I said. "She's just _wonderful_."

Anneli raised her eyebrows at me. "I know you don't like her, Revel," she said. "But you don't need to hold a grudge against her _forever_."

I frowned at Anneli. I had been feeling cool towards her since she called adventures childish, but this pushed me over the edge.

"Oh stop it!" I hissed. "Stop being so pious all the time, and never seeing the bad in _any_one, and telling _me_ what I should and shouldn't be doing, and I should and shouldn't be thinking!"

Anneli looked surprised. She turned her large, doe eyes on me, and on any other day, I may have felt guilt or shame at my outburst, but that evening I was too highly strung to feel any such emotion.

As soon as dinner was over, I stormed up to the bedroom. Lady Lorienna had attempted to make the meal a celebratory event, to make merry on our last evening together, but I couldn't bring myself to enjoy it. For the past week, I'd been dreading this day and dreading the idea of leaving Lady Lorienna's, however, now that the day was actually here, I couldn't wait to get out. I'd grown sick of the lot of them, and suddenly that included Anneli too. When I got to the bedroom, I lay down under the covers, fully clothed and, when I heard the others come up to bed, I pretended to be asleep.

I lay in bed for what seemed like ages. I wanted to make absolutely sure that all the other girls were asleep before I slipped away. Eventually, there was the sound of steady breathing, and I was certain that I was the only person awake in the room. Silently, I threw off the covers, and swung my legs out of bed. There was little to pack, for I had no possessions of my own. I pulled a light travelling cloak over my shoulders, though it had been so hot during the day I almost didn't bother, and once I'd crept down to the kitchen, I filled a small potato sack with bread, water, and some apples. I was sure there would be food to eat along the way. I thought excitedly of having to eat wild berries or rats or something in order to survive. How thrilling!

As I was about to leave, I cast one final look around the physician's workshop. Here had been the one place I'd felt that I'd had a purpose, a life, a...home. Living and working with Lady Lorienna had left me feeling the closest thing to happy since my parents' death. There was a strange sort of lump in my throat, but I quickly swallowed it. There was no point in thinking in this way; going on my adventure was bound to give me a greater sense of belonging than I had ever felt in Rivendell. Resolutely, I gritted my teeth, and ploughed on through the door and out into the night.

I had been out in Rivendell at night countless times before, but that evening felt different. There was a stillness to the air, and the dark, indigo sky had long ago sent the sun away, taking with it its stifling heat and leaving behind a crisp, cool feel to the night air. The town felt different at night; there was none of the hustle and bustle of everyday life, and the still, silence of the night was penetrated only by the sounds of my own feet tapping along the floor, and the occasionally hooting of an owl. In fact, I didn't see another living soul until I had passed right down through Rivendell and had reached the high bronze gates, and the tall elven guards that patrolled them. I crept into the shadows of the nearby bushes, and was just wondering how on earth I was going to get past them, when I tripped over a thick tree root, gave a muffled shriek and went sprawling over the floor. My potato sack tore at the seams, sending apples rolling in all directions. I scrambled to my feet, heart pounding. The elven guards were speaking with each other in elvish, and I couldn't understand what they were saying, but soon I didn't need to. The sound of their footsteps growing louder informed me that I was very much about to be caught unless I moved fast.

I heard the rustling of the elves now rummaging in the bushes and, forgetting entirely to stop and think things through properly, I darted out and ran blindly faster than I'd ever run before right through the bronze gates, and flat out over the bridge and into the forest on the other side. I didn't stop until I was under the cover of trees, and only then did I chance a look back. The high bronze gates of Rivendell were closed once more, and I realised that this was it. There was no turning back now.

I sighed, slowly regaining some air to my lungs. I went to take a drink of water, but them remembered about losing the potato sack of supplies. Doubt and something that possibly resembled fear crept into my head. But I hastily stopped them in their path. Second thoughts and doubt were no good now; it was too late, and I had no choice but to continue.

And, as I pressed on through the dense forest, I began to feel excited once more. I had done it! I was out in the wild, starting on my epic adventure. I thrashed through leaves, more exuberantly that was probably necessary, but I enjoyed the sense of savageness. After about an hour of endless trekking, I was beginning to tire. My feet were hurting inside my boots, and I needed something to drink. I paused for a moment, breathing heavily and leaning against a tree for support. I had barely had time to get my breath back, let alone think of a plan of what to do next, when I noise made my heart stop dead. A screeching, wailing sound that made my blood run cold. I spun around. What was it? Some terribly beast? Beast_s_? An orc pack perhaps? I realised then that I had nothing to defend myself with. How foolish! How had I hoped to present myself as an adventurous slayer of beasts, when I had nothing to use to do the slaying?

The sound echoed again in the dark, dense forest. And then another sound, much closer, of movement in the bushes. I began to run. Tripping and stumbling over the uneven ground, I hurried through the forest, casting hurried glances over my shoulder as I went. I carried on in this way, blood pounding in my ears, until-

I ran straight into something that was suddenly grabbing my struggling arms and holding me so I couldn't move. Terror gripped me. There were several somethings holding me, I realised, and another one at least was pressing something pointy against my stomach. I tried to struggle again, and then a flaming torch was shone in my face, its beam illuminating my captors' face. The shock was enough to make me stop struggling at once.

It was Thorin Oakenshield.

"What are you _doing_?" I cried without thinking. The dwarf king's sword was still pressed uncomfortably tight against my stomach.

"We could ask _you_ the same question," he growled at me.

"_I'm_ going on adventure," I said, as though this was obvious. "I thought you were supposed to be resting in Rivendell?"

"We were!" piped up another voice. The light from the flaming torch now illuminated the faces of the other dwarves who were all there, stood in the clearing that I had found myself in. "But we've had to sneak off in the night so that Gandalf-

Ori, the speaker, received a wallop around the head by Bombur.

"Our business is our own," said Thorin in a low, dark voice. "And what do you mean, an 'adventure'? These parts are not the setting for some silly fantasy, if that's what you had in mind."

Thorin's tone was mocking.

"Of course that's not what I had in mind!" I said, angrily. I cast a look around the group, and I spotted Bilbo Baggins, stood nervously in the crowd of dwarves. "It was him!" I cried, gesturing at the hobbit as best I could with my arms still pinned by Bofur and Oin. "He told me to go and discover my purpose in life! To go on an _adventure_!"

Everyone turned to look accusingly at Bilbo. Thorin glared at him. "This is _your_ doing?" he said. "You told her to sneak off on some crackpot _adventure_?"

"No!" cried the hobbit. "No! I didn't mean..._this._ I meant go into the world of _work_, start your own business. _That_ sort of adventure. Not _this_!"

I blinked at the hobbit. "What sort of dull person considers starting their own _business_ an adventure?"

A few of the dwarves snorted with laughter.

"Perhaps the sort of person who has seen what adventure _really_ is," said Thorin, darkly. "It's not all excitement and adrenaline and thrills, you know. After seeing what some of us have seen, one might not consider starting a business in town is so dull after all." He sighed. "Let her go," he said to Bofur and Oin. "She won't trouble us again. If she's any sense, she'll go straight back to Rivendell in the morning."

I felt the pressure on my arms slacken as Oin and Bofur let go. But they stayed stood either side.

"You can't just...just _leave_ her here?" said Bofur.

"I don't mind- I began, but Bofur kicked my leg.

"Besides, the way back to Rivendell is blocked by orcs," said Dwalin.

"_Orcs_!" I said, looking behind me, as though expecting to see orc faces appearing out of the darkness. Bofur kicked me again.

Thorin was looking from me to his Company of nervous looking dwarves and back again.

"We can't afford to be waylaid like this," said the dwarf king, turning back away from me.

"But Uncle, leaving her here would be like sending an innocent to their death," I looked to the speaker. It was Fili. He looked anxiously at his uncle.

"Thorin, this girl's had _medical training_," said Balin. "She might be useful!"

"Yes," said Bilbo Baggins. "Yes, I think having a physician on board would certainly make me feel, ah, more at ease, wouldn't it you?"

The rest of the dwarves started talking together at once, agreeing with Bilbo and Balin.

"E_nough_!" shouted Thorin. The Company feel silent immediately. "All _right_," he said. "But on one condition," he said, surveying me intently. "If you even _start_ to slow us down, or endanger any one of us, in _any_ way, I won't hesitate in leaving you behind. Innocent or not innocent."

He turned back to his Company. "Now," he said. "We'll make camp here. Fili, Kili. You can take the first watch."


	6. Chapter 6

I jolted awake suddenly. I could not have been asleep very long at all, for Fili and Kili were still on watch nearby. I could see their dim silhouettes, black against the light of the low fire, and could hear them murmuring to one another. I turned over and stole a glance around at the rest of the camp. Bilbo Baggins was laid down right beside me, fast asleep, his mouth hanging open slightly. All around, the firelight illuminated the outlines of the sleeping dwarves, and the outline of Thorin Oakenshield, who was not sleeping. He was sat with his back against a tree trunk, staring into the fire, but his eyes were glazed over, and I did not suppose it was the flickering flames that were consuming the dwarf king's mind.

I sighed and rolled back over so I was once again facing the dark shadows of the trees that surrounded the clearing. This was _not_ how I had expected things to turn out. Though I would have been lying if I had said I did not feel a great deal safer surrounded by the dwarves and their weapons and skills in fighting. But I was supposed to be on a quest to discover _myself, _not get wrapped up in a Company of dwarves' business! What _was_ their business anyhow? Lady Lorienna had told us nothing of _why_ a group of dwarves were in Rivendell, and had forbidden us from asking them about it. But surely _now_ it would sense for me to know what they were up to? Though, I thought, thinking of Thorin Oakenshield's previous adventures, perhaps I would rather _not_ know.

One of the dwarves gave a great, shuddering snore, and I jumped slightly. I heard Fili and Kili's gentle laughter, as I finally drifted off back to sleep.

Someone was shaking my shoulder. I swatted them away, annoyed.

"Go away," I muttered. "Ask Tahadrial..." Who was bothering me at this hour? Perhaps it was Lady Lorienna, though she always took Tahadrial down to the dwarves now in the mornings now.

"Come on, wake _up_!"

"Oh, _what_-

I snapped open my eyes ready to shout at whoever was disturbing my sleep, and found myself face to face with the brown-eyed Kili.

"Oh good, you're up," he said, grinning. "We were worried we were going to have to throw a bucket of water over you or something." He grinned again, stood up from where he had been crouched over me, and walked over to join the rest of the dwarves, who were breakfasting by the fire. I groaned and rubbed my eyes. Was this what an adventure was supposed to feel like? My whole body was stiff from lying on a forest floor all night, and I longed for a nice warm bath and perhaps a few more days of sleep. I closed my eyes for the briefest of moments, with absolutely no intention whatsoever of going back to sleep, and the next thing I knew, icy cold water was hitting my face with great force. I leapt up, spluttering.

Fili and Kili were stood, Fili holding a now empty bucket, both having difficulty suppressing laughter.

"I did warn you..." said Kili.

"Here, I made you these," Ori said, now coming over as I continued to splutter and look furiously at Fili and Kili. Ori was handing me a pair of woollen trousers that had clearly been made from one of the thick woollen blankets.

"Oh, wow..." I said, taking the trousers from Ori and holding them up against myself. "They're really...Thanks, Ori."

The dwarf beamed, and walked away to join the others at the fire.

Well, I thought, the woollen trousers were better than my ripped skirt that was now sodden with water.

"Another sausage, Thorin?" Dwalin offered as I gathered up my cloak and trousers and made to find somewhere to change.

But the dwarf king waved away this offer, his head cocked towards the forest as though listening for something.

I continued on my way, and found a thick tree to change behind. It was still very dark in the forest under the thick canopy of trees, and away from the firelight in the clearing, I found it difficult to see what I was doing. But I eventually struggled into Ori's homemade trousers, which were too short in the leg and too wide in the waist, and braided my hair back, and was beginning to feel much more awake and alive as I made my way back to the camp.

However, when I got there, the fire was out, the clearing was swamped in darkness, and I couldn't make out the dwarves anywhere.

"Hey, what's going-

But my question was stopped short when a hand was clamped over my mouth.

Thorin Oakenshield pulled me with ease behind a tree, and it was then that I noticed the dim outlines of the other dwarfs, making for similar hiding places.

"Orcs," breathed Thorin in my ear. My heart leapt into my mouth. Orcs! How dangerous! How thrilling!

"Be prepared to attack on my command," murmured Thorin to Dwalin, who was positioned next to us. Dwalin nodded in the darkness and silently withdrew a sword from his thick, leather belt. The weapon was long and lethal-looking. I stared at it in awe.

We remained in this silent, hidden manner for a lot longer than I thought we would. I kept expecting a pack of orcs to come swarming in, and for the dwarves to break out into some epic battle. But after a while of nothing but Thorin's heavy breath on my neck, I stopped waiting for this to happen with bated breath, and actually began to drift off, pressed still between the thick furs of Thorin's coat, and the rough bark of the tree. But I very quickly was brought back to my senses when the pressure of Thorin's body up against my own was lifted, and I was left to slide down the tree trunk, quickly jolting awake.

"That was close," Thorin was saying as the rest of the dwarves began emerging into sight. "Much too close. The sooner we get out of these woods the better."

"What happened?" I asked Bilbo as the group began to congregate together. I was annoyed with myself for not paying attention to what was probably the most exciting thing to happen to me to date.

"Orcs," said Bilbo, hitching his bag up over his shoulder. "Two of them. But they just skirted around the edge of the clearing and went again. Didn't seem very bright creatures, if I'm honest."

"Are any of them?" I asked. "Bright, I mean. I thought orcs were renowned for being stupid."

"Foolish; yes. Stupid; no," said Balin, who was listening nearby. "They know how to form alliances when they need them. They've rallied troops in vast quantities enough to strike fear into the hearts of men and creature alike. What they may lack in intelligence, I assure you, they make up for in number. Orcs do not make good enemies; there's a lot of them and none are intelligent enough to reason with. A deadly combination."

"So then...why _are_ we enemies with them?" I asked. "Is there no way of...reconciliation?"

"Do you know _nothing_ of the world?" Thorin, who had obviously been listening to our conversation, broke out suddenly. "Orcs have been slinking around in malevolence too long. They're past reconciliation or reasoning. They've chosen their path of evil, and will _never_ steer from it."

"Surely nothing's as definite as that..." I began.

"_This_ is," Thorin growled. Then, to everyone else; "Come! We must move on. Its nigh on time we left this dreadful place."

"Don't worry about him, lassie," said Balin when Thorin had moved away. "Thorin's got more reason then most to hate orcs. You're no doubt familiar with his battle with Azog, the pale orc."

"Yes," I said, looking wistfully at the dwarf king's retreating back. "Thorin Oakenshield was one of my childhood heroes when growing up."

Balin followed my wistful gaze to Thorin. "Is the real thing not living up to your fantasies?" he asked, with a quiet, knowing smile.

I smiled weakly back. "Something like that."

"Aye, don't be too harsh on Thorin. There's more to being a hero than swinging a sword about defeating a few enemies. In time, you'll come to realise that Thorin Oakenshield is every bit the childhood hero you always thought he was."

Balin smiled wisely once more, and went to join the others.

As we set off into the forest, still only dimly lit due to the thick trees, I found myself suddenly in charge of a large sack of tools; spoons, shovels, even a hammer or two. "Might as well make yourself useful," Bofur had said with an absurd amount of gaiety as he loaded me up with the sack. And now, I was puffing along at the back, trying extremely hard to keep up. I was remembering Thorin's warnings about slowing the group down. I didn't much like the idea of being left alone in the forest with orcs wandering around, however thrilling and exciting that notion sounded.

"Keep up!" Thorin called from the front of the group.

I gritted my teeth and hauled the sack further up my shoulder. Bilbo was only a little way in front of me, so I jogged on to walk with him.

"Perhaps I'm not cut out for adventures after all, I said, panting. "Not adventures of _this_ sort anyway."

"Sure you are," said Bilbo, mopping his sweaty brow. "You just need some time to adjust to this way of life. I know I did."

I thought about this for a moment. Bilbo continued; "Do you know, when I first joined the dwarves on their adventure, I wanted to turn back to fetch a pocket handkerchief I'd forgotten!"

I grinned. "I expect that didn't go down too well with the great Thorin Oakenshield."

Bilbo laughed. "No it did not!" he paused. "But the point is, no one can start off a great adventurer; they're not born, they're made! Trust me, by the time we get to Erebor; you'll be just as adventurous as these dwarves!"

"Erebor?" I said, stopping in my tracks. "Your final destination is _Erebor_?"

Bilbo looked at me, stricken. "I shouldn't have said that!" he cried, looking about to see if any of the other dwarves had been listening. But se were still quiet away behind Bombur, who was at the back of the line of dwarves. "Promise me you won't tell anyone _I_ told you our plans!"

I blinked. I was still thinking of what Bilbo had just told me. The dwarves were going to _Erebor?_ But what business did they have there? Unless...

"Thorin wants to take back Erebor," I breathed. "_That_'s his reason for this quest, isn't it? _Isn't_ it?"

Bilbo was now looking more scared than ever. "_Shhh!_" he cried. "Oh curse my fool of a Tookish mouth! No one is supposed to know of Thorin's plans."

We began walking again, while my mind went through a series of emotions; triumph that I had worked out the dwarves' plans, thrill at how _exciting_ these plans were, and fear at how dangerous they were.

"But surely it doesn't matter if I know now?" I said. "Aren't I now part of the Company anyway?"

"I don't know..." said Bilbo. "You haven't signed the paperwork..."

I laughed. But Bilbo's serious face told me he wasn't joking.

"You're kidding, right?" I said. "There's _actual _paperwork?"

"Well I had to sign some!" said Bilbo.

A few hours later, we stopped to rest by a stream, and I had not been collapsed on the floor by the trickling water two minutes, when Balin approached me with a fist full of papers.

"What's all this?" I asked, eyeing the many sheets with distaste.

"Paperwork," said Balin, and I had to fight not to laugh as I caught Bilbo's eye behind Balin. "Just read it through, and sign at the bottom. It's just to make everything nice and official."

He smiled cheerfully, and handed me the papers. I began to read them, struggling over the many words used to relay information regarding confidentiality, rights, damage limitations, rewards, etc. When it got to a section on risks, I was shocked to read the words 'incarceration' and 'incineration' among other such horrific fates. I looked about, startled, and noticed Fili and Kili sitting nearby. I scrambled over to them, brandishing the sheaf of paper in their faces.

"Please," I said. "Tell me. Are these risks...are they...are they _likely_?"

Kili peered over the knife he was sharpening, and read the paper. Fili's eyes performed an identical sweep over the list of risks. Then, their eyes met each other's, and finally back to mine.

"Well?" I said.

"Yep," said Kili.

"Very likely," said Fili.

"Likelier than likely, I'd say."

"I'd say almost definitely."

"_I'd_ say definitely, definitely."

I stared at the pair of them, the innocence in Kili's brown eyes not quite reaching Fili's blue ones.

"Hmm," I said, not convinced. "Well perhaps I won't sign this thing then..." I wafted the papers about.

"Don't mind the lads," said Bofur, coming over and brandishing a feathery quill. "Just sign the paper before Balin has a fit. He's already jittery about you staying with us overnight without having signed anything. Here," he handed me the quill. "And sign quickly. Thorin's anxious to get away."

"We've barely sat down," I grumbled, taking the quill and making my mark. My name looked rather small and insignificant underneath 'Thorin son of Thrain' and 'Balin son of Fundin', so I drew a smiling face next to it.

"Nice," said Kili, who was scrutinising my artwork over my shoulder. "That's _exactly_ the sort of professionalism Uncle Thorin is looking for in a member of his Company."

Shocked, I made to grab the paper back and scribbled out the drawing, but Bofur was already taking it away to Balin.

"Do you think I will get in to trouble for it?" I asked.

"Oh yes." Kili's face was very serious. Then, it broke out into a broad grin, and he clapped me on the shoulder before bounding over to join the others, who were beginning to move on. I stared after him.

"He's joking," said Fili. "Uncle Thorin won't even _look_ at that paperwork. It's only for Balin's records."

I exhaled a sigh of relief.

"Kili's just a practically joker through and through," continued Fili. "He can never resist showing off." There was an affectionate tone to the way Fili spoke about his brother, but also a touch of something else I couldn't quite put my finger on. Was it sadness? Disapproval? I wasn't sure.

"Nothing like you, then," I said, gathering up my sack. I meant this as a joke, after all it _had_ been Fili who had thrown a bucket of water over me that morning. But Fili looked strangely wistful at my words.

"No," he said in a strange voice. "Nothing like me."

I asked Bilbo about this curious conversation once we were trudging once more through the forest.

"Don't you think it was a bit...odd of him to say that?"

Bilbo shrugged. "Sounds a bit like sibling jealousy if you ask me," he said. "Brothers always have a bit of...well, _rivalry_, don't they?"

"_Do_ they?" I shot back. "I haven't got any brothers or sisters. I wouldn't know."

"Oh, sure they do. In fact, I once knew these brothers who..." I allowed Bilbo to speak at length of the various sets of brothers he knew, and the rivalries they'd faced. His voice washed over me and, while I seemed to be listening on the outside, inside I heard none of it. I had been struck suddenly by an immense feeling of misery, and, while it would have been quite inappropriate not to mention out of character for me to do so, I could have easily sat down there and then and wept. It was a sudden feeling, a realisation almost, that I was completely alone. I had always been alone, ever since the death of my parents. Though there may always have been people in my life, there was never a bond for me with anyone. Not like with a family. Even people I considered my friends, like Anneli, were perhaps not as close to me as I had thought at the time. We certainly were not close like brothers would be. Well, _sisters_, obviously. I looked longingly at the back of Fili and Kili's heads, _wishing_ I had some relationship like that in my life. I wanted to have someone I could have rivalry with, someone I could worry about and care for. I wanted someone to worry about _me_. No one in Rivendell had ever been worried about me. I wondered whether they would have noticed if I'd died. Probably not. They wouldn't notice that I'd gone missing at all; or if they _did_ notice, they certainly wouldn't care.

I continued in this melancholy state of mind for the remainder of the day. We snaked through the forest, winding in and out of the trees and not, as far as I could make out, sticking to any sort of path. For all I knew, we could have been wandering around in circles. But eventually, the darkness began to lift, the thick leaves and branches began to thin, and I could tell that we were reaching the outskirts. The light that begun to protrude through the thinning trees, however, quickly evaporated, and night time seemed imminent. We broke through the edge of the forest, and out on to a grassy slope, where I was struck by the most breathtakingly beautiful landscape I had ever seen. It was like an illustration in a book, only much, much better, as I was seeing it in real life. The sun was setting down over huge, vast mountains that flanked a valley that was concealed in shadows. Either side the stone walls of the mountains climbed high into the sky. I stared at the scene in awe.

"We should camp here tonight, Thorin," Balin was saying to the dwarf king.

But Thorin seemed reluctant to do so. "We should keep moving," he said. "I don't like the idea of us being so close to that forest."

"But everyone's _exhausted_, Thorin. And it would do us no good to go off into the mountains in this darkness."

"_I _thought we were supposed to wait for Gandalf before going in to the mountains?" said Gloin. "I thought _that_ was the plan?"

"Plans change," said Thorin, gruffly. But he turned to Balin and said; "Very well. Get a fire going then."

"Where _is_ Gandalf?" I asked Bilbo, as we threw down our bags and sprawled out on the floor, worn-out. It had suddenly dawned on me that the great wizard was not among the Company, and hadn't been since I had trespassed upon them the previous day.

"Back in Rivendell," muttered Bilbo, struggling into another cloak. "But we had to be on our way. We had to leave."

"Why?"

"Because Thorin was anxious-

"Anxious to get away," I finished. "Yes, I gathered that by the way I caught you all _sneaking_ off in the middle of the night. What if some of the dwarves weren't fully recovered or something?"

Bilbo ignored my last question. "But isn't that what _you_ were doing?" he said coyly, raising an eyebrow. "Sneaking off in the middle of the night?"

"Uh, _no_!" I said, indignantly. "_I_ was setting off on an adventure to discover myself! To discover my true _purpose_ in life. A journey of _enlightenments_."

"Oh, that sounds painful," said Bofur, wincing as he handed over some bread and two bowls of stew to me and Bilbo. "Too much discovering for one person, I think."

I ignored him. We took our stew and sat around the fire with the other dwarves, and I was just beginning to feel relatively cheerful compared to the misery of my emotions all afternoon, when there was a howling sound that cut the air and the cheery atmosphere like a knife.

"What was that?" squeaked Ori.

"Was it a wolf?" asked Bilbo.

We all looked in the direction in which the noise had come from.

"I'll go and have a look around," I said, standing up. I had been waiting for a chance to do something daring and adventurous all day, and this seemed like a perfect opportunity to do so.

"Sit _down_," snapped Thorin. "You've got no _idea_ what's out there. You're as bad as my nephews."

He waved to Fili and Kili to sit down as well, for they, too, had stood up, reaching for their weapons.

"Worry not, lass," said Balin, who sat next to me on my left. "That was the cry of the She-Wolf. They'll mean no harm to us. They're not our enemies."

Thorin was still casting wary glances around at the trees. "I'm still not satisfied that they are the only creatures out tonight, though," he said.

"Oh, I don't doubt that," said Balin. "But there's plenty of us to keep watch." He smiled kindly up at Thorin, but the dwarf king did not return the gesture.

The night went on. After supper, some of the dwarves retired to their blankets for sleep, and Thorin muttered something about getting rest and wandered away from the fire too. Gloin cast a glance around, and then leant forward and murmured to the rest of us; "I think it's time we cracked out some of my homebrewed mead."

"Oh, _yes_," agreed the dwarves readily. "I need something to warm me up on a night like tonight!"

It _was_ strangely cold out on that grassy slope. Despite the heat of the summer and of the forest, out there on the exposed cliff face, there was a chill in the air that my travelling cloak did not quite account for.

Gloin produced a large bottle from under his cloak, passed round several glasses and Oin, Bofur, Fili, Kili, Bilbo and myself all accepted the drink from him.

I peered at the thick liquid in my glass. It glowed amber in the firelight and, when I took a sip, I felt it burning all the way down my throat and into my stomach. All the dwarves, and even Bilbo, were glugging down their drinks all in one, so I quickly tipped the glass back to my lips and followed suit.

_Phew_, I thought when the glass was empty. It was certainly warming.

"Another glass, I think," said Gloin, holding out the bottle.

"_Of course_," said Bofur. "It's not strong stuff, is it?"

"No, no, no," said Gloin, waving away Bofur's question with vigour and filling up our glasses again. "Not in the _slightest_."

I was already feeling slightly light headed at the speed in which I had drunk the first glass; I had never drunken mead in my _life_, but thought it would be rude not to accept the second drink. The same went for the third. And, by the fourth, I didn't care.

The evening began to take on a hazy, dreamlike sort of feel. I could see and hear everything that was going on, but it was all strangely out of focus, like I was watching through ill-fitted spectacles. Bofur began telling very funny stories, or rather, they were stories, that I suddenly _found_ very funny; roaring with laughter practically after his every word.

"Keep it down, girl," chuckled Oin. "Or you'll wake Thorin up and have him on our case."

This I found even more amusing than the story that had made me laugh in the first place.

"Oh, can you _imagine_," I said, grasping at Bilbo's arm with rapture. "_Thorin_ Smokenshield coming on to _our_ case!"

I laughed again. Bilbo shook my hand off his arm, his eyes darting about woozily.

"I think I've had enough mead for one evening," he declared, standing up unsteadily. "I'm going to floor. I mean bed. I mean, I'm going to _sleep._"

"Oh yes," I slurred. "Oh me too, I think."

I went to grab hold of Bilbo's arm to join him in the walk over to the other sleeping dwarves, but found that I was merely grabbing at thin air. Bilbo had already staggered away.

"No, don't go to sleep!" cried Bofur enthusiastically filling up all the glassed once more with Gloin's slowly emptying bottle. "The fun is just beginning!"

Kili began to sing; "_Oh, the fun is just beginning, the fun is just beginning..._"

"I really shouldn't have give you lads any of this mead," said Gloin, looking doubtfully suddenly at his bottle. "Your uncle would have my head if he found out!"

"Oooh, let's tell him!" I cried, hysterical. "Oooh, let's tell Thorin Oakenshield that Oin or Gloin or whoever you are gave his little nephews mead and then we can-

"_Little_ nephews?" exclaimed Kili. "Who are you calling _little_ nephews?"

But I wasn't listening, I was already striding over to where I thought Thorin was lying asleep, hugging myself with delight for no apparent reason.

But before I got there, I was tackled to the ground by something heavy.

"Ow!" I cried. "Get off me! What are you _doing_?"

"You were about to wander off the cliff face you idiot!" cried my attacker, their warm, mead fragranced breath flowing over my face. As I blinked rapidly, Fili's face came into focus.

"Oh gosh, _really_?" I said, unconcerned. "Oh how _terrible_..."

Fili hauled me to my feet. "I thought you said that stuff wasn't strong, Gloin," he said, dragging me back to where the others were sat. "But personally I feel like I'm swimming, and Revel just nearly killed herself."

"Hmm, yes. Well," Gloin looked contemplatively at his bottle of mead. "It's not _very_ strong. I expect the girl's just not as used to it as we dwarves are, eh?" he chuckled. "And she's not as robust as the rest of us!"

"Excuse _me_," I said, piping up from Fili's knee, where I had suddenly found myself. "I am very _robust_ thank you very much, I assure you I-

"Yeah," said Kili. "It's Thorin's _little_ nephews who need to worry, isn't it?" The dwarf was glaring suddenly at me, his dark eyes wild.

"Hey, I don't see what your problem is!" I cried, wrenching my head away from Fili's knee with difficulty and glaring back at Kili. "I saved your _life_ once, remember?"

"No, not really," shot back Kili. "But that's hardly surprising if I was _dying_ and required you to 'save' my life!"

I blinked at him, feeling the mead swimming around in my brain. "That is actually an excellent point," I slurred. "And _very_ well made, might I add..."

Kili's face broke out into one of his grins once more and clapped me and Fili on the shoulders. "Oh this is a _brilliant_ night," he said.

"Well it may be the last one for a while," said Oin, and the atmosphere immediately quietened. "For tomorrow we go up into the mountains, and who knows what that will bring?"

There was silence for a moment, while the dwarves contemplated this fate, and I contemplated throwing up in Fili's hood.

Then, Bofur held up his glass with the last few dregs of mead in and said; "Nothing is certain but this; no mead can ever, or will ever, top that of Gloin, son of Groin's!"


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: Hello! Thanks for all the continuing support-I really appreciate it. Hope you'll enjoy this chapter. Just a little note to apologise that the dialogue and events taken directly from the film may not be altogether accurate, as, while I've seen the film now three times, I haven't watched it recently, and I can't remember exactly what people say and when. Also, this fic is to be a two parter, with part one ending in the next chapter. Anyway, hope you enjoy-please do keep reviewing; your words mean the world to me!**

I couldn't remember actually falling asleep that evening, but I suppose I must have done at some point, for I awoke the next morning to Ori pounding away at my skull with his axe. Or rather, it _felt _like he was doing so. I groaned into the floor and tried to remember the events of the previous night, though with little success. When I had first joined Lady Lorienna's establishment, she had given us all a lecture about the dangers of beverages such as mead, and now I understood why. Blearily, I lifted my head up, and squinted around in the early morning sun. One of my old boots lay discarded a few feet away, and I was tangled up in what looked like Bofur's moleskin overcoat. Bofur himself now made his way over.

"I'll have that back, if you don't mind," he said, not waiting for me to reply and pulling the coat away from me.

Groaning once more, and cursing Gloin and his homebrewed mead, I dragged myself up off the floor and looked around. A few of the dwarves were over by the fire, happily breakfasting together. Bombur was making his way successfully through a plate of sausages, and Dwalin was prodding something in a pot that was bubbling away over the flames. Bofur, now complete with moleskin coat, joined them. I looked around for Bilbo, and saw the hobbit just emerging from behind some trees, rubbing a blanket over his hair which was slightly damp.

"Hello," I said, eyeing his damp hair curiously. "Where have you been?"

"Ah," said Bilbo, smiling mischievously. "I discovered a really rather pleasant stream just through those trees," he pointed. "And I've just been taking a bath."

"How...pleasant," I said, slightly bemused. It was amusing to me that someone should still take _baths_ while on adventures.

"It was," agreed Bilbo, sighing. "And _very_ refreshing."

I rubbed my eyes again. "Perhaps I should follow your example," I said. "After last night, I'm sure I've never felt less refreshed in my life."

Bilbo nodded. "You should," he said. "It might be the last chance you get to wash for a while." He smiled once more, and moved away to join the breakfasting dwarves.

I followed Bilbo's instruction, and stumbled over the uneven ground and through the trees, passing a surly looking Thorin Oakenshield as I did so.

There was a dampness in the air as I entered the forest. The lush, dark leaves on the trees were glistening slightly and the air was thick and muggy. It was suddenly also very quiet; the density of the trees blocking out any noise drifting from the dwarves' camp. The only sound that could now be heard was that of trickling water, and I followed it eagerly, keen now I was there to find Bilbo's stream. When I reached the stream; a beautifully clear one that twisted in and around small grey boulders, and eventually disappearing into the darkness of the trees, I found that I had not been the only one to take up Bilbo's advice.

Fili was there, just finishing pulling on his boots and tightening his belts.

"Oh, sorry..." I said when I realised I had intruded upon him. "I didn't realise..."

Fili looked up. He was leaning against one of the grey boulders, but straightened up when he saw me, smiling. "No, its fine," he said. "How are you feeling after last night?"

"Oh," I said, drifting over to the stream. "Alright I suppose...Oh dear!" I exclaimed, catching sight of my reflection in the water's surface. My hair, thick and coarse compared to the sleek locks of the elves I had grown up with, was now even wilder than usual, having come unravelled from its braid, and sticking up all over the place.

"Here," said Fili, obviously reading my thoughts. "I'll fix it."

"Oh no, there's really no need..." I began, but Fili had already moved closer and was fiddling with my hair with an unexpected deftness and delicacy.

"My friend used to braid it," I said, for lack of anything else to say. "She was always very good at things like that, unlike me."

"Is that the elven friend you brought with you to see us that time?"

I thought for a moment about who Fili was talking of, but then remembered Tahadrial.

"Oh, no," I said, darkly. "She wasn't really a..._friend_ of mine."

There was silence for a moment.

"No," said Fili, after some apparent consideration. "No I thought she wasn't."

Surprised, I turned to face the dwarf. "What do you mean?" I demanded. "What makes you say that?"

"Oh!" said Fili, who suddenly wouldn't meet my eye. "Just...just some of the things she said. About you."

I narrowed my eyes. "_Things_?" I said. "What sort of _things_?"

"Well..." Fili fiddled with his hands awkwardly. "She just seemed to be under the impression that I would be...well, _impressed_ if she told me some secrets about you. _Not_," he added quickly when I had glared angrily at the thought of Tahadrial. "That I expect _any_ of them to be true in the _slightest._"

I was silent for a moment, still seething. Fili took this as an opportunity to provide distraction.

"Anyway, look," he said, swivelling me around so I was once again looking into the water. "What do you think?"

I stared. Fili had somehow managed to loop and braid my hair so that it no longer resembled a porcupine sat on top of my head, but nor did it look like the awful ersatz copy of the elven braid that Anneli had always done for me, and which never looked right on my shorter, coarser hair.

"Oh wow," I said, twisting my head to look at the sides of the braids. "Do I look like a dwarf now?"

Fili laughed. "Not quite," he said. "You haven't nearly enough beard for that."

"Surely dwarf _women_ don't have beards?" I said, turning to look at Fili.

He nodded. "Most do."

"How...how..." I struggled to think of an adjective. "How unfortunate!" I ended up blurting out, stupidly.

Luckily for me, Fili saw humour in my words, and laughed again. "Unfortunate for whom? Them?" he raised an eyebrow, suddenly coy. "Or us poor men who have to marry them?"

I stared, shocked, at the young dwarf.

"Well!" I said, suddenly flustered. "Well! I hardly think that's for, uh, _ me_ to say, do you? Ha!" I let out a nervous, embarrassed laugh, feeling uncomfortable.

"Come on," said Fili, chuckling at my expression. "We'd better get back. I know that my uncle is anxious-

"Anxious to get away," I finished. "Yes, you're...you're right."

Still flustered over Fili's comments about _marriage_ of all things, I followed the dwarf back through the trees away from the stream.

It was not until we were back at the camp that I remembered my initial intentions for going to the stream in the first place.

"Did you enjoy your bath?" Bilbo asked, the moment I appeared, his green eyes shining.

"Bath?" I said, vaguely. "Oh, yes! Very...very pleasant."

"I see you've changed your hair as well," said the hobbit. "It's very nice."

"Oh thank you," I said, running a hand over the braids. "Fili did it for me..." I turned to the dwarf in question, but found that he was no longer there. Fili had moved over to the fire, joining his brother and the rest of the dwarves at breakfast.

"Hey," I said to Bilbo, remembering something. "Did you know that dwarven women have _beards?_"

Bilbo, who had just taken a drink of water from his mug, choked.

"Of course!" he spluttered. "Doesn't everybody know that?"

"Well _I _didn't," I said, sulkily, scuffing my old boot over the ground. I had been looking forward to impressing the hobbit with my knowledge.

"Oh yes," said Bilbo, musingly. "The longer the better, I believe. 'Beauty is measured by beards'. That's the rule I think that dwarves abide by."

Suddenly miserable for no apparent reason, I ran a hand over my very-much hairless chin, frowning.

"Don't worry," said Bilbo, clapping a hand on my shoulder. "I'm not sure Thorin would be more accepting of you, even if you had a _footlong_ beard."

He gave me a smile that I was sure was _meant_ to be reassuring, but I did not feel comforted. While I may have not known the _exact_ reason for my present misery, I _was_ quite sure that Bilbo had gotten the wrong end of my sad stick.

x-x-x

The weather underwent a dramatic change as we trekked up towards the mountains. The moment our feet stepped off the soft, grassy slopes, and made contact with the stony, uneven ground of the mountain path, the skies clouded over, and the heat of the sun disappeared almost at once. As we climbed higher, the terrain became rockier, and more difficult to navigate our feet over. Even some of the dwarves, with their thick, sturdy boots, could be seen tripping and stumbling over the path. I had once again found myself in charge of a heavy sack of utensils, and I was struggling to remain upright under its weight. This was something that became increasingly difficult as the day wore on; a few hours into our trek, and the light breeze that we had set out in was fast becoming a cold wind, strong and forceful. My cloak whipped around me, and I was very glad I had donned Ori's homemade woollen trousers, and was not still stuck in my floaty skirt.

By late afternoon, the wind had turned into an all-out gale, and thick, cold water droplets were now falling from the darkening sky, splashing onto our faces and to the path below, where they pooled, making the stones wet and slippery under foot.

"What's going on?" I cried out to Bilbo who was in front of me. I was surprised at the high-pitched element of _fear_ in my voice.

But Bilbo did not get a chance to answer me. For, at that moment, there was a great crack of thunder in the sky, and the whole mountain shook. Bilbo slipped, and went veering over the edge, and would have fallen to his death, had Bofur not grabbed him just in time, pulling him back against the wall.

The rain was now splashing down heavily, and the wind was howling as more thunder ripped through the blackened sky.

"This is no mere storm!" I heard someone cry from further up the line.

And then, out of nowhere, a great figure, as tall as the mountains themselves and made of solid rock, loomed out of the darkness.

"Storm giants!" shouted Bofur, his hand still clamped round Bilbo's arm. "So the legends are true!"

I gazed up at the storm giant. But there was no thrill or excitement pulsing through my veins; only terror.

The storm giant moved, just as the floor beneath us gave an almighty lurch. I threw my arms out wildly, trying frantically to grab hold of something solid and sturdy, but everything was slippery and moving about. There was another crack through the sky and, just behind me, the stone mountain path gave way. It ripped right down the middle, separating out group in two. I gave a cry as the stone structure lurched this way and that, before eventually slamming into the mountain face once more. We watched in horror as the rest of the dwarves were hurtled about on their rock. My heart was pounding in my chest, as I feared imminent death for all of us. Then, there was a loud crash, and the rock containing half our party slammed right into the mountain edge.

"Fili!" I heard someone yelling through the fading sounds of thunder. The storm giants were moving away.

Everyone scrambled over the wet rocks to get to the others who, by some miracle, all seemed to be alive; squashed in a heap on a ledge of the mountain. Panting, as the dwarves began getting to their feet, I leant against the wall that was thankfully no longer moving, and closed my eyes. But then they snapped open again at the sound of alarm.

To my absolute _horror_, I saw Bilbo hanging treacherously off the edge of the cliff, his fingers barely grasping the slippery rocks.

"Grab my hand!" Bofur yelled, throwing himself on the floor to try and reach the hobbit, while Ori made similar frantic movements. I wanted to move closer, I wanted to help, I wanted to be heroic, but I was frozen to the spot in horror. Thorin Oakenshield then leapt down onto a ledge, and heaved Bilbo up into Bofur's arms.

If I hadn't lost the ability to breathe normally, I would have exhaled a sigh of relief. But my lungs didn't seemed to be working properly, and all I could do was make a strange rasping choke in my throat. Dimly, through the darkness and hysteria, I saw Dwalin's massive frame haul Thorin up from the mountainside.

"I thought we'd lost you," I vaguely heard Bofur say.

"He's been lost ever since we left the Shire," said Thorin, who was breathing heavily. "He should never have come."

The dwarf now turned away from Bilbo, and looked to where I was standing.

"We'll make camp here for tonight," he said. "Check to the back of the cave. These mountains are seldom unoccupied."

I realised then that I had been leaning against the opening to a dark cave build into the mountain face. Dwalin swept past me, striking up a flaming torch seemingly out of nowhere.

"Seems alright," he declared. "Cold, though."

"Well, let's get a fire going," said Dori, as everyone trooped into the cave, dimly lit by Dwalin's torch.

"No," said Thorin, sharply. "No fires tonight. Just try to get some rest. Bofur take the first watch."

I lay down in the darkness of the cave, staring up at the black ceiling, and shaking. It was cold in the cave, but it was not just the low temperature that was sending tremors through my body. I was terrified. There was no other word for it. The incident with the storm giants had shocked and scared me, and now I lay there in the cave, more frightened than I could ever remember being before.

How could I have been so _foolish_? To think of adventures as nothing but one thrill after another? To think of near death experiences as _exciting_? Anneli Rose had been right-it had been childish to think in this way. I was a coward. I realised this now; by the way my body was still trembling, and he way that tears still threatened to fall from my eyes at any moment. Most likely the only thing that had kept crying at bay so far was that I thought if I started to cry, I would never stop, and would end up bawling into Thorin Oakenshield's fur coat.

I was so disappointed in myself; I had left my home seeking an adventure, and had gone to pieces at the first sniff of danger. Who had I been trying to kid? Adventures weren't exciting, thrilling places for young people dreaming of fame and fantasy. They were dangerous and scary, and not for foolish girls like me, who were stupid enough to believe that they had a _hope_ at becoming an adventurer. I shivered again at the thought of the storm giants. Someone near to me; Fili or Kili or Ori, coughed in their sleep, and I jumped, jittery. Would this long, dark night ever end?

I wanted safety, I decided. I wanted reassurance. I wanted stability I wanted to go-

"Back to Rivendell."

A voice interrupted my thoughts. I had been so wrapped up in them that I had not been aware of a curious conversation unfolding at the mouth of the cave.

"I don't belong here. I should never have come."

I twisted myself slightly so I could view the opening of the cave. Peering past Kili's sleeping face that was now turned toward mine, I saw _Bilbo_ stood next to Bofur, his stature illuminated by the light of Bofur's torch.

"Thorin was right," Bilbo said. I noticed now that his bag was packed and slung over his shoulder. "I should never have gone running out of my front door."

I frowned. Was Bilbo..._leaving_?

"You're homesick," soothed Bofur. "I _understand_. I-

"No, you don't!" interrupted Bilbo, his voice rising slightly. Kili shifted, frowning in his sleep. "No you _don't_ understand. None of you do. All you lot," he gestured around at the sleeping dwarves. "You're used to this way of life. Never _belonging_ anywhere. You haven't got a home-_none_ of you have!"

There was silence following Bilbo's words. They were true, there was no denying, but they were also harsh.

"I'm sorry," said Bilbo after a while, obviously realising this. "I'm sorry, I-

"No you're right," said Bofur softly. "All of us. We've no home to go to. We don't belong anywhere."

Perhaps I was more similar to these dwarves than I realised before. I had never _belonged_ in Rivendell, and yet now I'd found I didn't belong out in the adventurous wild either. Maybe I didn't belong anywhere.

"I wish you every luck in the world," Bofur was saying.

Wait, so Bilbo was going back to Rivendell? Couldn't he take me with him? I may not belong there, but I'd rather be not belonging somewhere safe than not belonging out here in the dangerous wild!

Then, all of a sudden, I felt a strange juddering sensation in the floor beneath me. The very foundations of the cave seemed to be slipping slightly.

"Wake up! Wake up!" Thorin's urgent voice now echoed through the cave. I sat up. All around the dwarves were raising their heads, bleary with sleep.

"Was-goin-on?" slurred Kili.

But no one had time to answer the young dwarf, before the floor itself gave way completely, and we were sliding down into darkness.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: Hi all! Thank you again for all the reviews/comments I've had on this; it means so much to me. Just a note again to say that I'm sorry if the dialogue and version of events in this piece differ slightly from the film, but I do not remember it entirely word for word, so just did the scenes roughly. Also, this **_**is**_** the last chapter of the first part, but if I get enough reviews and requests, etc, or if I just can't contain myself, I **_**will**_** be continuing the second part, of which I already have many ideas for. Though obviously it gets harder now as I don't have the second part of the film to work with, and so a lot of it would end up being a bit of AU and bookverse mixed. Also, I had some ideas I would sort of like to go back and put in, as scenes in Rivendell, so if that is something that anyone would be interested in reading, please let me know and I shall write accordingly. Thanks again everyone; I love you all! **

The world around me was rushing past at an alarming speed. I was slipping and sliding down what seemed to be a steep, stone chute; down further and further into blackness. I was dimly aware of the bodies of the other dwarves brushing against me as we toppled to our doom. Wind was roaring past, and I closed my eyes against the irritation. And then, just when I thought we couldn't possibly slide any deeper, we came to an abrupt halt, toppling out of the end of the chute and landing in a heap on a very solid, very hard ground. It was pitch black; I couldn't see a thing. I was aware of the dwarves pressed in beside me, but we were so tightly compacted together, I couldn't move.

"What's going on?"demanded someone.

"Where are we?"

"Help! Something's got hold of me!"

"Shh! It's only me-

"Ouch! That was my foot!"

"Silence!" This last came from Thorin. His voice was slightly muffled, as though he was pressed against something, but the order came as authoritative as always. The dwarves fell silent at once. I tried to shift; to move just _slightly_, but someone was pushed right up against me; their fur coat tickling my face.

"This must be a trap," came Thorin's voice again, slightly less muffled this time.

"A trap?" Ori's high-pitched, scared, voice piped up.

"Don't worry Ori, I'll bust us out of here!"

"Kili, _stop_ wriggling, you keep kicking me-

"Well it's not _my_ fault you're taking up so much room-

"E_nough_!" Thorin roared. "Be quiet, all of you, and we'll try to figure out how to-

Thorin stopped speaking. We had suddenly been flooded in light, revealing one of the most revolting scenes I had ever seen.

Goblins. Lots and lots of _goblins._ They had been hiding in the darkness, but came out now into the light; hundreds of them. Their bodies were glistening in slime, and they squawked and jeered at us.

"Get up now!" ordered one of the goblins in a cackling voice. "The King will be most _pleased_ to see you."

His face contorted into some hideous expression that was probably supposed to resemble a smile, and I caught a glimpse of a mouth of pointy, grey teeth. With some effort, I got to my feet. Something heavy had evidently collided with my head on the journey down the chute, and I could feel warm blood trickling down over the side of my face. All around the dwarves were getting to their feet and scowling. Goblins began herding us along, prodding and poking with the ends of spears in a menacing manner.

The fear I had felt in the cave in the aftermath of our encounter with the storm giants had, bizarrely, evaporated, and I was frustrated with myself for feeling the beginnings of what felt like excitement building inside me. Not ten minutes ago, I had been shaking in terror at the thought of danger and now, just an adrenaline rushing stone slide ride and a horde of ugly goblins later, I was back to living in my fantasies. I stole a look at Ori, who walked beside me, wondering if he shared my change of heart. But the dwarf looked merely terrified. Though he _was_ very young, I supposed. It was understandable if he was scared. But I looked to Dwalin, and the great warrior dwarf, too, looked uneasy. Perhaps this _was_ the time to feel cautious and frightened.

The goblins had led us swiftly over to where easily the ugliest creature I had _ever_ seen was sat upon a great throne. The creature was evidently a goblin of some description, but he was at least twenty foot fall, and his features were grossly exaggerated.

"Well what have we here!" he boomed, leering over us. "What _have_ we here?"

"Dwarves, your malevolence," answered the goblin who had ordered us up, in his high-pitched cackle.

"Yeah," said another, gruffer goblin. "Caught them having a kip on the front porch."

The massive goblin, who I now took to be the Goblin King, surveyed is all with interest.

"Strip them of their weapons," he decided. "Now!"

Gnarled fingers began grasping and pulling at the dwarves belts and swords, knives, bows, arrows, axes and even Ori's little sling shot were thrown into a pile. Any baggage that had been grasped at in the moment of panic up in the cave were similarly thrown on the pile, and I found greedy goblin hands pulling at the sack of utensils that was pathetically hanging off one of my arms.

"And now," roared the Goblin King when he was quite satisfied that the dwarves were unarmed. "You will tell us, what business brings a group of _dwarves_ this far North?"

I looked to Thorin, but the dwarf king remained silent, his mouth set firmly shut in a line.

"Not in the mood to talk, are we not?" mocked the Goblin King. Many of the goblins laughed and jeered. "Well if we can't make you _talk_, well make you _squawk!_ Fetch a knife! And start with the _youngest_."

The Goblin King loomed menacingly over the group, and several of the dwarves moved instinctively closer around the younger ones; Kili, Fili and Ori. I felt myself get pushed roughly aside, and saw that Thorin was now making his way out to face the Goblin King.

"Well _look_ who it is!" the Goblin King boomed when he'd scrutinised Thorin's face "Just _look_ who it _is_! Thorin son of Thrain son of Thror; King under the Mountain!"

Despite the circumstances, I could still not help but feel slightly envious of Thorin's impressive name and title.

"Except," continued the Goblin King. "I'm forgetting; you haven't_ got_ a mountain, have you? And you're not a King! Which makes you..._nobody_ really."

I felt Dwalin clench his fists in anger beside me, and I could tell the Goblin King's words had hit a raw nerve. The goblins were cackling with laughter again; its sound resonating in the great, cavernous pit that was obviously set under the mountain.

"But I know someone who would pay a fine price for your head," the Goblin King loomed over Thorin. "Nothing attached, though. Just the head."

He started to laugh; a great, booming laugh that echoed horribly, mixing with the cackling of the other goblins to create a truly dreadful sound.

"You may know of whom I speak," he said, when his laughter had subsided. "An old _enemy_ of yours."

I saw Thorin stiffen. Who could the Goblin King be talking about? Thorin Oakenshield may not have been best friends with many of the elves, but they were surely not _enemies _of his? Thorin was a hero! A legend! Famous for his bravery in battling down-

"The pale orc!" shouted the Goblin King triumphantly when Thorin had said nothing. "Azog the Defiler!"

"He's dead," said Thorin at once. "He was injured in battle and died of his injuries long ago."

"Quite sure of that, are you?" jeered the Goblin King.

Thorin made to go for his sword, before evidently remembering that it had been taken.

"Send word to the pale orc," the Goblin King was saying to a small, strange sort of goblin that was perched on a wire and scribbling on a piece of parchment. "Tell him we have his _prize_."

The pale orc was alive? He was still at large? But that meant he would be no doubt be seeking revenge on Thorin! And the Goblin King was going to keep us there until that happened, I just knew it. The dwarves were defenceless, unarmed. I ought to do something courageous and heroic! Something epic and worthy of a hero. But I could see no way out of this terrible nightmare, and the thrill of being captured by goblins was fast evaporating. I looked about wildly, suddenly craving some comfort from Bilbo Baggins's kind eyes. But I couldn't see the hobbit anywhere. Had he managed to slip away back to Rivendell after all? No- I had definitely seen him as we tumbled into the stone shaft. So then, where was he?

I did not have time to contemplate the hobbit's mysterious absence any longer, however, for at that moment there was a deafening crash from above, and a bright white light suddenly illuminated the entire cavernous pit. Was this the pale orc, making a speedy appearance on the scene? I held up a hand, shielding my eyes from the bright light. The goblins were shrieking; throwing themselves at the ground. And then, there was another crash and I found myself thrown sideways as what seemed like a small explosion took place nearby.

As I raised my head slowly from the ground, smoke was rising from every surface, and goblins were stirring in the shadows from where they, too, had been thrown in all directions. And then, out of the darkness, part by part, a figure was rising up from the debris, silhouetted against the white smoke. I craned my neck, trying to see more, but my legs were trapped under the enormous weight of Bombur, and my movement was somewhat limited.

The figure continued to rise until their face was illuminated by the flaming torches- and I gasped.

_It was Gandalf the Grey!_ Gandalf-Gandalf the wizard was _here;_ rising out of the shadows like a sort of saviour, here to rescue us.

There was a sort of dreamlike moment that almost occurred in slow motion, as Gandalf loomed over us, and then he spoke;

"Take up arms," he said, slowly and clearly into the silence that had descended upon his arrival. "Fight!" he called. "_Fight!_"

Everybody sprung into action at once. The heavy weight of Bombur was lifted as the large dwarf rolled off me and got up. All around, the other dwarves were leaping to their feet, snatching up their weapons from the now unguarded pile of dwarven belongings. Adrenaline now pumping through my veins again, I followed their example, grabbing at the first item I lay my hands on from the pile, and whipping around, _so_ ready to fight and slay goblins in vast quantities. But I had barely laid eyes upon the epic battle scene that was taking place in front of me, before someone, or some_thing_, collided into my side, tackling me to the floor.

"Arrrg!" I cried, as I rolled over and over, getting dizzy as I gained speed.

Eventually, I came to a halt, and guessed I must have fallen further _down_ into the mountain, for the sounds of battle could now only be distantly heard above me. Panting, I staggered to my feet, still feeling dizzy. Wherever it was that I had ended up was dimly lit by torches, but their light revealed little for me to see. But then, I perceived that I had not fallen down here alone. Something was stirring in the shadows. I swallowed, raising my weapon and feeling ready to fight. However, it was then that I saw properly _what_ exactly I had managed to grab from the pile of weapons.

It was a wooden spoon.

Out of _everything_ I could have picked up; axes, knives, a sword or two, I had managed to pick up the wooden spoon that Oin used in his cooking.

But I didn't have time to think on my useless weapon any longer, for the creature in the shadows had obviously recovered from its fall, and was now advancing towards me into the light. It no doubt _was_ a sort of goblin, but it walked on both its hands and legs, and was weirdly small and twisted. One eye was much larger than the other, and it was baring its pointy teeth at me.

When it opened its mouth, it did not speak as such, but made strange growling sounds in its throat. It was very, _very_ ugly.

And then it pounced; leaping towards me with what looked like claws outstretched.

Panicking entirely, I closed my eyes against the danger, and swung the wooden spoon with all my strength in the direction of the mutant goblin. A dull thud and cry of anguish told me that the spoon had found its target. I opened my eyes. The goblin was cowered on the floor, it's clawed hands over its face.

"Ha!" I cried, beaming down at the wooden spoon triumphantly. "This fighting lark is _easy_, why do people make out like it's such a big-aaah!"

The goblin had recovered from my blow, and had pounced onto me again, sending me flying to the floor and trapping me beneath its claws. The pointy, ugly face loomed over me, snarling and drooling everywhere. Reacting quickly, I swung the spoon up, smacking it over the face and, in this moment of distraction, scrambling to my feet. I looked wildly about for some sort of way out. Even if, by some mad miracle, I was able to _kill_ this goblin with nothing more than a _spoon_, it would be no good if I was trapped down here!

To my left, there was a pale sort of light glimmering at the end of what seemed to be a tunnel. I had no idea _where_ it led, but anywhere was better than here so, making sure I had my trusty spoon grasped tight in my hand, I ran for it.

The goblin, of course, was right on my tail. It moved with great speed using both its hands and legs in a weird sort of bounding motion, and I had never been very athletic. In fact, I was out of breath by the time I reached the first bend. I swung round at the goblin with the spoon, not stopping to see the damage, and legging it down the next tunnel.

A strange rush of adrenaline was pumping through me as I sprinted, and it seemed to give me a new lease of life and a new rush of speed, though I could hear the goblin snarling and growling just behind me. But I was also starting to feel a sort of light-headedness and fuzziness, not dissimilar to when I had taken some of Gloin's mead. The whole situation was feeling almost laughable.

"I will lead you on a _merry _chase!" I called to the goblin, laughing. "And I will use my _spoon_ to great effect, ha!"

I continued on, twisting up and down the tunnels. I wondered _where_ this was leading me, and hoped very much that it wasn't back to the Goblin King. I couldn't hear the battle taking place above anymore; all I could hear was the wind rushing past me, and the goblin making chase behind. But the light seemed to be getting brighter; the air was getting clearer and less dank. I was nearly free! I was nearly out of the cave! I was nearly-

_Crash!_

In my absolute ecstasy at the thought of freedom being nigh, I had slowed up, and the goblin had used this lull in my speed and concentration, and pounced, crashing right into my back.

My scream as its claws sunk deep into my shoulders echoed hideously in the tunnels. With difficulty, I used all my strength to throw the goblin off, but the pain thudding through my back and shoulders was immense. I could feel blood trickling down my sleeves, but there was no time to stop and examine the extent of my injuries. I whipped around. The goblin was on the floor, grinning nastily up at me and licking its lips. I recoiled in disgust, backing up against the stone wall. The goblin made its move, pouncing once more at me, but this time I was struck by a sudden inspiration. At the last moment, I jumped away and out of the goblin's line of attack and the creature crashed heavily into the stone wall. It may have been a small creature, but the sound resonated all round the tunnel. The very walls seemed to shake with the force.

Except, the shaking of the walls was getting _worse_, the very tunnel seemed to be vibrating as though about to collapse at any moment. _That_ was surely not to do with the goblin. But I didn't wait to find out exactly what was going on, I left the goblin, still stunned on the floor, and sprinted down the tunnel, breaking out at the end into the fresh air and outdoors, where the sun was just setting. It was a beautiful sight. Crashing sounds were heard behind me, and I turned back just in time to see the mouth of the tunnel collapse in on itself.

I turned back to look out over a valley, and spotted a peculiar sight. Many figures were moving with a swiftness a little way off. At first I feared they were goblins, but when I noticed that one was considerably taller than the other, I realised that it must be Gandalf the Grey and the dwarves!

Forgetting the pain in my shoulders, and the pain in my chest from running so much already, I began to make chase.

"Hey!" I called out. "Hey wait for me! Wait! _Wait!_"

I skipped and tripped down over the uneven ground calling out to the others. I was chasing them right into a forest, and I wanted to catch up before the trees would swallow them up and I would never find them. I put on an extra burst of speed.

Just on the edge of the forest, I caught up to the dwarves who were all, thankfully, taking a pause. Bilbo Baggins, wherever on earth _he_ had got to earlier on, was stood there, and all the dwarves were looking at him with a strange admiration and confusion. What had I missed?

I caused a commotion clattering on to the scene. "Hello!" I roared, never having been so glad to see dwarves in all my life.

All the dwarves now turned their confused expressions onto _me_.

"We thought you were _dead_," said Ori, who looked like he'd just seen a ghost.

"Dead?" I said, waving away Ori's words as though they were the most ridiculous thing I'd ever heard. "No I'm not _dead_!"

"But how did you get past the goblins?" asked Kili, eyeing me suspiciously.

"Just...you know..." I said, making a jabbing motion with the wooden spoon that was still clasped in my hand. "I was cornered, but I just, you know..." I made the jabbing motion again.

"Cornered by how many?" shot back Kili.

"Oh, at least fifty," I lied.

"And you killed them _all_?" asked Thorin Oakenshield, looking at me doubtfully.

"Yes."

"With a _wooden spoon_?"

"Yes."

"Well!" said Gandalf, clapping his hands together and quickly dissolving the web of lies that this conversation was fast turning in to. "It seems both our guests have more in them than you would give them credit for, Thorin," he turned a twinkling blue eye on the dwarf king, who scowled.

"Where did _you_ get to?" I asked Bilbo, when the dwarves had turned away and started busying themselves with attaching their weapons back to their belts.

"It seems I could ask _you_ the same question," said the hobbit, fiddling with his waistcoat pocket in an agitated manner.

"I told you," I said. "I was off slaying goblins. You know, being _adventurous._"

"Well so was I-

Bilbo's voice was cut off by a great roar and the sounds of heavy movement from nearby.

"Out of the frying pan," said Gandalf.

"And into the fire!" finished Thorin.

The dwarves and Gandalf began running again, moving swiftly down through the trees and, after an infinitesimal pause, myself and Bilbo followed suit.

"What's going on?" I called out to Bilbo who was in front of me. "Is it the goblins?"

But no one answered me. The group merely continued to chase through the trees, as I tripped and stumbled after them. The pain in my shoulders, while was not terrible, was starting to make my arms feel stiff and heavy, and my limbs were weary from my chase through the tunnels with the goblin. I did not fancy my chances if we were ambushed again. But the dwarves and Gandalf had come to a standstill; they had stopped running and were looking wildly about.

"Hey why have we stop-

I started to ask, but then I realised why exactly we were running no more. It was because there was nowhere to run _to_. The forest reached right on to the edge of a cliff face; the cliff looking out over a great, darkening valley. There was no way down. There was no escape.

"Into the trees!" called Gandalf, who was already making his way spritely up a large tree, climbing up over its branches.

I turned to look back in the direction we had come from, expecting to see a raging pack of goblins, but was shocked to see instead a large, wolf-like creature; snapping and snarling its teeth, advancing towards us. I stared at the beast, transfixed.

Suddenly, I felt strong arms pulling on my torn shoulders, lifting me high up into the branches of the trees. Thorin Oakenshield had pulled me up away from the beast, throwing me on to a branch where Fili and Kili, I noted, were already crouched.

"What is it?" I asked, breathing heavily through the pain in my shoulders. "What's going on?"

"Wargs," said Fili, his eyes darting about in the increasing darkness below. "Which means an orc pack is not far behind."

Fili's words were barely out of his mouth when several more wargs made an appearance on the scene, great, ugly orcs seated upon their backs. I had looked on illustrations in books of orcs before, but nothing could have prepared me for seeing the real thing. Grey, slimy skin covered gnarled, knobbly flesh. Distorted, bulging eyes were set into a pointed face. The effect was more hideous than I could have ever imagined.

"Fili!" Gandalf, swinging from the highest branch in the tree, threw down a pinecone that was somehow on fire. Looking up at the wizard, I saw him already using his staff to set light to several other pine cones. I was mesmerised for a moment by my first witnessing of the wizard's magic, but I quickly snapped out of this trance when Fili thrust a burning pinecone in my face.

"Throw it!" he said, already throwing his own pinecone, which joined several that had already been thrown by Gandalf, in the direction of the wargs and orcs. Following suit, I threw the pinecone with all the strength I could muster. I watched it zoom through the air, and collide satisfactorily with an orc's head.

"Ha!" I cried, and my jubilant cries joined those of the dwarves as fire leapt up all over the ground, sending the wargs cowering backwards.

But our joy was short lived. For, at that moment, the trees in which we were seeking refuge, gave an almighty lurch, and I found myself gripping the branch tightly as the tree fell backwards, clattering into the tree behind us. I heard cries from the dwarves, and whipped my head around in time to see Ori and Dori hanging perilously over the edge of the cliff, clinging on to Gandalf's staff as the tree was bent at an almost horizontal angle.

What were we supposed to do now? Gandalf's fire was fast evaporating as the wargs stamped and kicked the ground in frustration.

And then, the fire parted, and out of the shadows came a sight I thought I would never behold, and a sight that made my heart stop dead.

It was the pale orc.

Azog the Defiler was sat upon a great warg, every ounce as horrible as the descriptions in the books. One arm, I saw, had been cut away, no doubt by Thorin Oakenshield in his great battle with Azog, but a lethal-looking, clawed weapon had been put in its place. The fire was reflecting dangerously in his eyes.

I looked to Fili and Kili, both of whom were staring at the pale orc in horror. I craned my neck to try and look at Thorin, but his face was hidden from my view in the strange angle in which the tree now sat. I could feel the trunk creaking, and I thought it wouldn't be long before the tree gave way entirely, and we would topple to our death over the cliff.

But we had other problems too.

Azog the Defiler was snarling and spitting in some distorted orc language of his own. I understood none of it, but decided it was unlikely that the pale orc was exchanging pleasantries with Thorin. The dwarf king rose suddenly from the tree, drawing his sword from his belt and advancing towards the pale orc almost in slow motion.

"No!" Fili cried next to me, making as if to snatch at Thorin as he went by, keep him back away from harm.

But the dwarf king was quite determined to face his enemy.

"We have to do something!" said Kili. "We have to fight, come on!"

Thorin had made his first move on the pale orc, but it had earned him a heavy blow in return, sending the dwarf king flying until he hit the ground with a heavy thud.

"I can't!" I cried, no sense of thrill or excitement whatsoever. I felt weary and tired, and just about ready to give up on everything.

"But _you_ just defeated fifty goblins!" said Fili. "I _know_ you've got it in you!"

Thorin was thrown sideways once more with a deafening groan.

"I didn't," I confessed, miserably. "I didn't defeat fifty goblins. I didn't defeat _any_ goblins. I'm useless. I'm no good at this heroic business. I should never have left my life in Rivendell. I should never have-

"_Bilbo_!" My miserable confessions were cut short by Kili's cries.

I turned to see none other than _Bilbo Baggins_ throwing himself wildly at the pale orc, madly swinging about his sword. Thorin was on the floor, horribly still and unmoving.

There were shouts and cries from the trees, as the dwarves followed Bilbo's lead, and went tearing across the trees and into the battle.

"_Yes_!" Kili cried, pulling out his sword and leaping forward. Fili wrenched out his pair of knives and followed his brother. Gandalf was still stuck at the end of the tree, clutching on to Dori and Ori, and I thought that heading into battle as I was; unskilled and unarmed, would have little point. But then my eyes were drawn to Thorin once more. The great dwarf king, my childhood hero, reduced to lying, defeated, on the floor. Something was suddenly burning inside me; an anger, a_ rage_, unlike anything I had ever experienced before. I wanted _revenge_ for Thorin. _Revenge_ against the pale orc.

With this in mind, I scrambled down of the branches, and pressed on into the battle. However, I had not laid eyes for ten seconds upon the fighting taking place in front of me, when I was grabbed by gnarled hands, and pulled away.

"Help!" I cried, kicking out at the orc that had hold of me. "Help! Get _off_ me! Get _off!_"

The orc had pulled me behind a rock, and was scrutinising my face through horrid, bulging eyes.

"Hmm. A woman, is it?" the orc snarled in a language I could just understand, gripping my arms tightly as it peered into my face. "The dwarf scum's queen?"

"What?" I said, frantically. "No! No, not me! Not at all. Not one bit. No, no, you've utterly got the wrong person there, so if you could just let me,-ah!"

The orc had hoisted me up over his shoulders, and was carrying me through the trees.

"No!" I cried. "Put me _down_! Help! _Help!_"

But as I squinted back through the trees, I saw the dwarves falling back. Huge eagles were swooping around, scooping up the wargs and throwing them over the cliff, and hoisting the dwarves up on to their backs.

I breathed a sigh of relief. We were saved.

Except. I was currently being carried further_ away_ from where the eagles were collecting the dwarves. _They_ may have been being saved, but _I_ could not be in any more danger!

"No, come back!" I called, kicking wildly out at the orc, but the beast had a firm grip. "Let _go_!"

"What's all this?" snarled another orc as we pushed through some trees and came face to face with several of the other orcs and their wargs.

"The dwarf scum's queen," said the orc that was carrying me.

"Hmph," snorted the other orc, disbelievingly. He wrenched me out of the grip of the orc, and twisted me round to face him. "She doesn't look much like a queen," he said.

Being insulted about looks by an orc was surely an all-time low for anybody.

Just then, there came a great pounding of paws on the ground, and a huge warg came bounding over, Azog the Defiler perched on the top.

He garbled in some spitting language at several of the orcs, before speaking in a tongue I could just understand.

"The dwarf scum are gone," he said. "The king lives."

So Thorin was not quite dead after all! I felt jubilation rising inside me, before I remembered that I was currently in possession of several orcs, not to mention Azog.

The pale orc growled in frustration, throwing his great, ugly head up.

"_Master_," grovelled the orc who had captured me. "We have _brought _you something." He snatched me back, narrowing his eyes at the other orc. He obviously wanted it made known that it was _he_ who had done the capturing.

Azog turned his horrible pale eyes on me, and I saw the pure malevolence behind them.

"A pretty little thing," said the orc. "The dwarf scum's _queen_."

The pale orc continued to stare down at me. "His_ queen_?" he growled.

The orc nodded frantically.

"Well then," said the pale orc, his face contorting horribly as he grinned. "The king will not leave it long before coming to reclaim his queen, will he?" He grinned wider, baring all his pointy teeth at me. "And when he comes, We. Will. Be. _Ready. _For. Him!"

_End of Part I. _


	9. Interlude

**Hello! Thanks again for all the reviews; I really appreciate them. Here is a brief interlude, that sets the transition from part one to part two. I have decided that I will continue this when the new film comes out, as I feel my writing will be of better quality with the film to refer to. Therefore, this is the final chapter for a while; I hope you like it. Obviously it is slightly AU, as I know nothing about the pale orc having an evil lair, or whatever. But I had to use some "artistic flare" and make some stuff up. Also, for those of you who have read Harry Potter, you will notice some similarities in this chapter with the one in the Deathly Hallows, where Harry meets Dumbledore in King's Cross station. I drew on that scene for inspiration. Also, many apologies for any spelling mistakes in this chapter, but I was forced to use a different word processing program on my computer, and it doesn't spell check for me, so in my haste to type, I may have made some errors. So anyway, thank you again for all the support, and hope you continue to enjoy it!**

They say that life begins anew when it gets crisp and cold in the Autumn and, well, for once in my life this could not be more true. But my new life was not one full of bright, exciting opportunities and fresh starts. It was full of grim despair, and a darkness so thick it seemed I could never again see the light. The pale orc; Azog the Defiler, had been holding me prisoner in a dungeon in his deep, dark, cave-like lair for what felt like years. I had started counting the days off in my head in the beginning, but had reached a total of forty days before a madness in my mind had forced me to cease counting and forget altogether.

I was bound, with thick, tight, ropes along my wrists and ankles, and strung up against the cold, damp, stone wall of the dungeon, left for hours on end alone, with nothing but the overwhelming darkness for company. I never saw the pale orc. Once a day, I was graced by the presence of two absolute _idiot_ orcs, who were evidently in charge of my welfare, if you could even call it that. The taller, skinner of the two; Fife, would thrust some food in my face, while Forte; the shorter, fatter one, would slop some water messily into a bowl and allow me to drink, while the two of them snarled and cackled insults at me. They were keeping me alive, but only barely, and I could feel my body growing weaker by the day. I almost hoped that death was imminent; it would _almost_ be a welcome relief from the pain.

"His Lordship is getting impatient, you know," snorted Fife one day, when I was just about ready for the end to come. "He can't wait around forever, waiting for your king to come and rescue his _queen_."

"They're not coming," I tried protesting, my voice a mere croak. For a while, I had been clinging on to some hope that Thorin Oakenshield and his Company of dwarves _would_ come and rescue me, queen or not queen. But I had long ago lost that hope. "They're not coming, because I'm _not_ their queen."

"Why?" Forte snarled suddenly. "You're ugly enough to be!"

The two of them cackled with laughter together.

"Thorin Oakenshield won't come here," I tried explaining over the sound of their cackles. "I'm certainly not worth his bother of coming to rescue me. I've already told you; I'm _nothing_ to these dwarves." And, in that moment, I believed this more than anything else.

"Oh really?" said Fife, turning toward me. "Well in that case, we might as well just let you _die_ then, mightn't we? If you're of no..._importance_."

Considering the way I currently felt, this did not seem like such a dreadful idea to me, but Forte looked confused. "Uh..." he said. "But I thought Boss said we had to keep her alive to-

"Shut up!" snapped Fife. "_Idiot_," he added.

My eyes flitted through bleary eyelids between the two of them.

"Don't call _me_ the idiot!" said Forte, drawing himself up to his rather _un_impressive height. "_You're_ the idiot around here!"

Conversations between Fife and Forte often took on this idiotic pattern, and their behaviour was unsurprising. However, I _was_ surprised when Fife drew out a large, heavy looking blunt object from his belt and waggled it threateningly at Forte. "If you don't put a sock in it, I _will_ use this!"

Forte's eyes went wide. "W-Where did you get _that_?"

Fife looked smugly down at his weapon. "The boss gave it to me," he said. "Gave it to me because of my _excellent_ behaviour."

"That's not fair!" cried Forte. "_I'm_ the one that does all the good work around here! That should belong to _me_."

The fat orc lunged at Fife's weapon.

"No!" shrieked Fife. "It's _mine_!"

"Give it to me!"

"_Never_!"

Forte gave the weapon one last pull, and it slipped through Fife's hands.

"Ha!" cried Forte, triumphantly. But his joy was short-lived. The apparent weight of the object was so great, it caused the short orc to topple backward, sending the weapon upward, where it flew through the air until it collided, hard, with my head.

x-x-x

A bright light was attempting to penetrate through my eyelids. I could feel warmth on my face, and on my arms which were apparently bare. I was very, very comfortable. But the bright light was irritating my eyelids; causing them to flutter about. Annoyed at this disturbance, I opened my eyes.

I was lying on the floor of a room that was submerged entirely in light. I was not entirely sure where the light was coming from, for there seemed to be no windows in the room, but light was streaming in nonetheless, reflecting off the brilliantly white walls. I sat up. I was dressed no longer in my ripped, woollen dwarf clothes, but was in a fresh gown of pale gold colour, that felt like silk and shone like precious metal. My hair, I could feel, was flowing free down over my shoulders, soft and clean.

It was then that I noticed another figure in the room, hovering with their back to me near the golden paintings which hung, twinkling, on one of the walls. The figure was tall, and dressed entirely in grey; no, not grey, _silver_, which shimmered and twinkled in the light. They figure turned toward me, and I found myself gazing into the bright blue eyes of Gandalf the Grey.

_What_ was going on?

"Am I...am I..._dead_?" I asked the wizard, tentatively.

Gandalf seemed to consider this for a moment. "I must answer your question with a question of my own, I'm afraid," he said after a while. "Do you _feel_ dead?"

I pondered this. Before, I had felt nothing but pain, and could have quite easily believed myself to be dead. Now, however, I had never felt better.

"No," I concluded. "No, I feel fine."

"Well then," said Gandalf, smiling cheerfully. "There you go. I do not see how you can be dead if you do not feel it yourself."

I considered this. "So then..._where_ are we?" I asked.

"Once again, the wizard took his time replying.

"I feel," he said eventually. "That your question once again probes another of my own. Where do you _think_ we are?"

I looked around. The room _was_ strangely familiar, with its bright white walls and golden paintings, but it was a room I could have seen maybe only once or twice in my life.

"Well," I said. "It _looks_ as if we're in Lord Elrond's waiting chamber in Rivendell."

Gandalf looked around the room, as though considering this. "Yes," he concluded. "Yes I think I could agree with that observation."

"But..._why_ are we here? And _how_ are we here? I mean, wasn't I in the pale orc's cave? How did I end up here? And where are the dwarves? What are you-

"Questions, questions, questions!" interrupted Gandalf boisterously. "Why the need to _know_ all of a sudden?"

"Sorry," I mumbled. "But...it's just...I don't see how I can be in one place one minute, and in another the next?"

"Is that not the general nature of moving?" said Gandalf. "To disappear in one place, and reappear in another?"

"Well, _yes_," I said, slightly exasperated now. "But I _haven't_ moved, and I certainly couldn't have moved all the way from Azog's cave all the way to Rivendell in such a short time. Without even being _aware_ of moving. I mean, how could I have gotten past the orc guards? And what are _you_ here for?"

At my last question, Gandalf's face turned thunderous. "Ha!" he cried. "What an impertinent little lady we have here! 'What am _I_ here for' indeed! Would you rather I left, and allowed you to continue by yourself?"

"N-No! That's not what I meant...I only thought...I'm sorry. Look, Mr Gandalf, I have no idea what's going on here right now, and would love it if you could shed some light on the situation."

"On the contrary, Revel," replied Gandalf. "I think you have a very good idea of what is going on. Have you not provided more answers to my questions than I have to yours?"

"Well, yes, but-

"And does providing answers to questions not suggest a knowledge of what is going on?

"Well, _yes_, but-

"In that case, I really do fail to see where you are coming from when you say that you have no idea what is going on."

"Have I been saved from Azog then?" I blurted out.

At my question, Gandalf stopped looking angry, and looked uncomfortable away, not meeting my eye. "Well...no," he said.

"So...I'm as good as dead then, right?"

"Oh, no," disagreed the wizard. "I wouldn't say that at all."

Something like hope burned deep inside me; a hope I had not felt in a long time. "Are you going to rescue me?" I asked, eagerly.

Gandalf looked uncomfortable again. "No," he said, gently.

"The dwarves?"

"I..." Gandalf's eyes were full of pity. "No. Not them either."

The hope that had burned inside me was quickly extinguished. "Oh."

"But do not lose hope, little Revel!" cried Gandalf. "As in thickest darkness the stars shine brightest. There is no thicker darkness than the one in which you have found yourself in now. And therefore no better time for you to shine your brightest and get yourself out of there! I _know_ you can escape the pale orc's cave."

"But what am I supposed to _do_?" I asked desperately. "I...I'm scared, Gandalf."

"Of course you are!" said Gandalf, gently. "You'd be a fool not to be! But come now, what happened to the young girl I knew who was always so excited at the prospect of _adventure_. Who was so _thrilled_ by the thought of fighting beasts and battling evil?"

I sighed heavily. "She grew up."

"Ah," said Gandalf. "Well I'm very sorry to hear that. Perhaps one day she will remember that it is not _always _a bad thing to be excited by adventures. In fact, sometimes, I find it gives one a distinct _advantage_."

Gandalf winked mysteriously at me.

"Now," he said, strangely brisk all of a sudden. "Comes the simple matter of _what_ you are going to do to get yourself free. Here-

The wizard reached up an arm and, apparently out of nowhere, brought down a small, silver knife. It was certainly no sword, and I could not see how it would be much aid against a horde of orcs.

"What's this?" I asked.

"This," said Gandalf, handing my the blade. "is the _mortale_ blade."

"Is it elven made?" I asked, examining it and thinking that this feature may at least make the weapon _slightly_ useful.

But Gandalf shook his head. "No," he said. "This blade was forged by mortal man, and to mortal man it will answer to best."

"It's no good," I said, miserably. "I wouldn't stand a chance against those orcs, even if I had a sword _twice_ as big as this."

"It is not the _size_ of an object which determines its power, Revel," said Gandalf. "You of all people should know that after running around with those dwarves! They do not let size get in their way, and neither should you."

I managed a small smile at that.

Gandalf smiled back. "Our time together, I fear, is drawing to a close. A shame, as there is much I should like to discuss. Another time will have to do I suppose!"

I looked up at Gandalf, but his image was starting to blur slightly.

"Hold on!" I said. "You can't leave yet! You haven't told me what I need to _do!_ How has this helped at _all_?"

"Make for the Gap along the Great West Road." said Gandalf. "There you shall find what you are looking for."

The whole room was starting to become hazy; its bright walls fading into nothingness.

"Wait," I cried, desperately. "One last thing; is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?"

Gandalf beamed at me now; and his voice sounded loud and strong even though the scene was fading faster than ever, and his image was barely visible.

"Of course it is happening inside your head, Revel, but why on _earth_ should that mean that it is not real?"

x-x-x

As soon as I was aware of anything again, I knew I had returned to Azog's cave. Everything was black once more, and there was no warmth playing over my skin; but a cold, dampness seeping in from the hard stone beneath and into my clothes. My body, it seemed was no longer tied to the wall in an upright position, for, judging from how I felt, I was lying down on the floor. I could hear voices arguing nearby. The voices of the orcs; Fife and Forte.

"You idiot! You've killed her!"

"I haven't killed her, _you_ killed her!"

"I did _not_, _you_ did!"

Something smooth and cold was clasped tightly in my hand. I opened my eyes.

I was lying on my side, facing the black wall, curled up with my bindings now having been cut from my wrists and ankles. I looked down at my hand, and saw the glinting of metal beneath my fist. It was the small, sharp blade that Gandalf had given me.

"_I'm_ not going up to tell Boss. It's _your_ fault she's dead." Fife and Forte were still arguing, obviously unaware that I was not, in fact, dead.

"Well I'm not going to go alone! You'd better come up with me!"

_Yes._ I thought. _Go. Go, both of you. _If I could get rid of Fife and Forte, I may be able to get out of the dungeon. Then, of course, I'd have to deal with the several hundred orc guards no doubt surrounding the cave, but at least it would be a start. Fife however, it seemed, was not going to allow this plan to unfold.

"No _way_," he said. "I'll wait down here."

"What?" snorted Forte. "So you can make sure she doesn't _escape_. Come on, she'd not going anywhere!"

"That's not funny," said Fife. "That's not funny at all. I can't _believe_ this has happened."

"I suppose she _is_ dead?" said Forte.

"Of course," said Fife, but I could hear the doubt in his tone.

There was silence for a moment but then, to my absolute horror, I could hear footsteps growing closer; Fife and Forte were moving towards me.

"Well we'd best just check," said Forte, his voice a lot louder than it had been previously. "Just to make sure she _is_ dead."

Oh no. This was terrible. They were going to realise I wasn't dead, string me back up the wall and this chance I had _somehow_ been given would be wasted. I would have to act fast. Heart pounding in my chest, I waited as Fife and Forte drew closer, my hand clenched tightly around the blade.

"Hey, look she's-

_Wham_.

I flipped over on the floor and plunged the knife, hard, into Forte's chest. The orc cried out in pain, and Fife leapt forward, hands outstetched, but I twisted quickly, wrenching the knife from Forte's chest, and forcing it into Fife's. Orc blood spilled out of the wound and ran down over the blade; rushing on to my hands and down my arms. I pulled out the knife, and Fife crashed to the floor, joining Forte. Both orcs were quite obviously dead.

It was difficult to describe my immediate emotions following these actions. I had just killed another living thing for the first time in my life, and while there _was_ a sort of twisted elation, there was also a dull sickness pulsing through me, curdling my stomach. I was suddenly very much more aware of my own person; aware of my heavy breathing, my presence in the room. I stood for a while, thinking, without really coming to any conclusion. I felt shaky and sick, and very much wanted to lie down or sleep or _something_. But I knew it would not be long before some orc would be down to check on Fife and Forte, and I should therefore make my escape as soon as possible.

But I really had no _idea_ what to do, or where to _go_. Gandalf had told me to make for the Gap on the Great West Road, which was excellent guidance, if I knew _where_ the Gap on the Great West Road was. Panicking slightly now, I gripped the _mortale_ blade tightly in my hand, hoping some brilliant idea would form in my head.

"_Help_ me!" I muttered frustratedly, looking around the room.

Suddenly, the _mortale_ blade in my hand glowed; emitting a rose-pink light. I knew that elven-made swords glowed blue when orcs or goblins were near, but Gandalf had told me that this blade was made by man, and besides, I had never heard of swords glowing _pink_ before. Then, just as the blade was growing warm in my hand, the light burst from the end, swirling out into the dark dungeon before me, and forming, to my utter surprise, the figure of a _man_. The figure was not altogether solid, and was strangely out of focus, glowing in the rose-pink light. He had an almost ghostly presence.

"W-Who are _you_?" I asked, staring. "And, you know, _what_ are you?"

The man smiled, but brought a long finger up to his mouth, gesturing for me to be silent, and when he spoke, it was in a voice barely above a whisper.

"My name is Mortale," he said, softly. "And the blood which ran through my veins now runs through yours, and through all mortal men. I have come to assist you."

"Assist me?" I said. "But how? And...why?"

"I bring courage to all those who seek it," said Mortale, without really answering my questions. "Now, follow me." Mortale turned to leave through the door that led from the dungeon, but I cried out.

"But wait! There's _orcs_ out there! I can't just go wandering out there!"

I only had the small _mortale_ blade with me, and Mortale didn't really look _solid_ enough to be much use in a fight.

But my ghostly companion did not seem to think my words much concern, and turned through the door anyway.

"Wait, come _back_!" I hissed, darting after him.

It was very dark, even once we were out of the dungeon, and I was glad to have Mortale's eerie, pinkish glow to follow as we ascended the flight of stone steps that led from the dungeon. It was cold and damp underfoot, and every step I took, I could not help but think that we were heading for danger and harm.

I voiced these thoughts aloud, in a whisper, to Mortale.

"The closer you are to danger," replied the ghost-like figure. "The further you are from harm. It is simple."

Whatever 'it' was, it did not sound at all simple to _me_, but I did not have time to ask Mortale to explain further. We had reached the top of the stone steps, and I could hear orcs nearby; snorting and snarling in their common tongue. I darted quickly down a passage, but Mortale remained in clear view of _anyone_ coming from any direction.

"_Hide!_" I hissed. "You'll be _seen_. You'll be..." I trailed off. "Hang on," I said. "Can you _be_ seen by anyone that's, well, you know, that's _not_ me?"

Mortale smiled at this. "I am visible only to mortal man," he said. "I can be neither seen nor heard by any other creature. You, however, _can_ be, so I suggest you stop being so loud, and we vacate this dreadful place."

"But how-

I stopped. In my conversation with Mortale, I had been distracted from the orc guards, two of whom were now stood directly in front of me, looking completely baffled. We stared at eachother for a few seconds, though it felt more like days.

"What are you waiting for?" shouted Mortale, his voice much stronger and fiercer than before. "Fight! _Fight_!"

My reaction was instantaneous. I used the _mortale_ blade to stab one of the orcs, and swung one of my feet; clad in my thick, old boots, at the other, knocking him to the floor.

"Oh wow!" I said, feeling strangely exhilarated. "Did you see that?"

The blade was glowing warm in my hand once more, and I felt none of the sickness that I had felt after killing Forte and Fife.

"That was excellent, Revel," said Mortale, gliding over. I did not bother to ask how he knew my name. "But we must make haste; I sense more orcs are on their way. You made a less-than-quiet affair of dealing with those two."

"Right, yes. Of course," I said, quickly. "Which way then?"

"Follow me."

Mortale led us down several passages, that twisted and turned like great stone tunnels. His pink glow continued to light the way, and I was just beginning to feel like we must surely be near an exit soon, when, out of nowhere, an orc guard was upon me. The creature threw itself at me, knocking me to the floor, clawing and cackling in my face.

"Kill it!" called Mortale, fierce once again.

I wrenched my hand out from where it had been trapped beneath me, and slashed the blade along the orc's neck. Orc blood ran heavily from the wound over my wrists, and I pushed myself roughly away from the dead orc, disgusted at how suddenly I had reacted to Mortale's words.

"Well done," said Mortale. "You would have surely been killed if you had not acted as you did."

I gave a small nod, but when we pressed on, my whole body was shaking slightly.

"Not much further," came Mortale's voice, when we had been walking in silence for a while, with no sign of any more orcs. "Your darkness is nearly through, Revel."

I gave a brief smile, forgetting that Mortale had his ghostly back to me, but I was fiddling with the _mortale_ blade in my hands, wondering how many more lives I would be forced to take with it before the journey was over.

"Hey," I said, thinking of something suddenly. "Are you taking me to the dwarves?"

"Dwarves?" said Mortale.

"Yes," I said. "Thorin Oakenshield and Company."

Mortale was quiet for a moment. "The name is not familiar to me," he said. "But I come from a different age, so perhaps that is it so strange."

"So then...where _are_ you leading me?" I asked. "Once we get out of here, I mean."

"To the Gap along the Great West Road," answered Mortale. "There you shall find what you are looking for."

His words mirrored exactly what it was that Gandalf had said to me.

"Did Gandalf send you?" I asked.

"Gandalf? That is another name I am not familiar with," said Mortale. This did not surprise me. I understood, as far as Lady Lorienna had told me, that Gandalf used many an alias. "I have told you already. I bring courage to those who seek it, that is all."

Mortale's pink glow was starting to become less significant, less necessary in the tunnel, and I realised, with a jolt of excitement, that we must be nearing the outside. Freedom from the pale orc, it seemed, was imminent.

However, just as the passage was widening, and I could actually _see_ the opening at the end, I noticed that our way was blocked.

It _was_ an orc that was crouched there, and yet...yet there was something almost elvish about the face, that was not nearly as distorted as some of his comrades. Perhaps this orc was not quite as far through the transformation as others; though I supposed it would not be long before he, too, was corrupted by the power into evil. But for now, it seemed that this orc was not willing to put up a fight against me. My _mortale_ blade was outstretched, and the orc recoiled from it in horror.

"Please," he gasped, in a tongue that sounded far more elvish than anything else. "Please, do not kill me. I will let you pass. I do not mean you harm."

"He's _lying_," hissed a voice in my ear, and I remembered Mortale. "Orcs will mean harm wherever they go."

I brought the knife up higher, as though to slash it down.

"No!" cried the orc. "I do not mean you harm! Please, I will let you _pass_. I do not want this. I never wanted this!"

The orc was sobbing now, cowering on the floor. I brought the knife down.

"_No_!" Mortale all-but shrieked. "Kill him! _Kill him!_"

But I did not. I turned to Mortale. "I cannot do it," I said, and turned away from the scene, now running down the passage until I broke out into the light, gulping great gasps of clean, fresh, _free_ air.

Mortale now glided out of the tunnel behind me, barely visible now in the sunlight. I thought he would be angry that I did not follow his orders to kill, but the spectre was smiling.

"Revel," he said, laying a hand on my shoulder that I was not sure if I could actually feel or not. "_Dear_ Revel. When I first laid eyes on you, I suspected that you did not possess the qualities of mortal man."

I looked down at my feet, disappointment filling my heart.

"But _now_," said Mortale. "I see, that you possess so much _more_ than mortal man. For you can see past the blind hatred that so often possesses those of our kind, and find it in yourself to feel_ pity_ and kindness for others around you. And kindness is one of the virtues that is too often overlooked. For that, I owe you great compliment."

I stared at Mortale.

"You were given my blade," said Mortale. "My blade that brings courage to all those who wield it. There is now no other that I would rather see wielding it than you, Revel of Rivendell."

"Wait," I said. "This is _your_ blade?"

"Of course," said Mortale. "The _mortale_ blade was forged by me and answers best to those who I believe show _true_ courage. For too long I believed true courage to be that of fighting and slaying. You have shown me otherwise this day."

Mortale was fading more than ever. "Hold on!" I cried, desperately. "You can't go yet! I _need_ you!"

Mortale smiled. "Our time together on this earth has been brief," he agreed. "But we will meet again, I am sure, when the time is right. And I will always be with you, for as long as you wield my blade, bringing you courage when you need it most."

"Wait!" I said, when Mortale was nothing more than a shadow. "Could you at least point me in the direction of the Gap along the Great West Road?"

Mortale laughed and pointed just behind my shoulder. "I think you'll find," he said. "That you are closer than you think."

His laughter was still ringing softly around my head as the image of Mortale disappeared entirely. I turned to look where he had pointed. I was stood at the top of a grassy slope overlooking a breath-taking view of mountainous plains. Not so far in the distance behind me, I could see a rocky ridge that presumably bridged a gap.

"The Gap along the Great West Road," I said, taking a great breath and setting off along the grass. "There shall I find what I am looking for."


End file.
